Cross-reactivity between sera from dogs experimentally infected with Dirofilaria immitis and crude extract of Toxocara canis

Abstract

This study was performed to investigate whethere there is cross-reactivitybetween Dirofilaria immitis and three intestinal nematodes of dogs. In ELISA, D. immitis-infected dog sera obtained at the 4th molting stage (9-11 weeks) and microfilaremic stage(25-30 weeks) were shown to be highly reactive with crude extract of T. canis. Inimmunoblotting, some antigenic fractions, 44, 57, 88, 100 kDa of crude extract of T.canis , were found to be positive reaction with sera of dogs infected with D. immitis.However, little or no cross-reaction were observed between sera of D. immitis-infected dogsand crude extract antigen of T. vulpis or A. caninum . These result suggest that there arepartial cross reaction between sera of D. immitis-infected dogs and the antigen of T. canis.