Immunodiagnosis of early dracunculiasis.

The enzymes linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to test human sera from patients with prepatent and patent Dracunculus medinensis infection with adult worm antigen to asses its potential value in the Immunodiagnosis of early asymptomatic guinea worm infection. The serum antibody response of prepatent sera samples from asymptomatic infected individuals showed a progressive increase in antibody level till the appearance of patent infection. It may be possible to detect the infection at least six months before the emergence of worms in an individual by using this test.