Evaluation of Dirofilaria immitis excretory/secretory products for seroepidemiological studies on human dirofilariosis.

The usefulness of excretory/secretory (E/S) products of adult Dirofilaria immitis for the diagnosis of human dirofilariosis was evaluated in 97 human sera using an ELISA and a Western Blot analysis with E/S antigens. Results of the ELISA analysis show that in healthy individuals from an endemic area seropositivity is high (22%). Immuno Blot analysis shows that the reaction pattern with E/S antigens differentiates healthy seropositives, which recognize a 43 kDa band, from patients with pulmonary dirofilariosis, which specifically recognize bands between 22-28 kDa.