Use of fractionated urinary filarial antigen in the diagnosis of human filariasis.

Fractionated urinary filarial antigen UFA C2 has shown high antigenic activity after absorption of urinary albumin present in the fraction. As little as 500 ag (10(-18) g) of albumin absorbed UFA C2, labelled as UFA C2-A, was found to be sufficient to detect filarial antibody. Stick enzyme immunoassay to assess the immunodiagnostic potential of UFA C2-A indicated filarial IgG antibody in 89% of microfilaraemic (mf) cases, 84% of clinical filariasis and 7% of endemic normals. UFA C2-A was found to be present in circulation in active as well as clinical infections as observed by inhibition assay using UFA C2-A penicillinase conjugate. Eighty-six per cent of mf, 50% of clinical cases and 6% of endemic normal subjects revealed parasite antigen to UFA C2-A on further serological analysis. None of the non-endemic normal sera showed the presence of filarial antibody/antigen to UFA C2-A. Furthermore, the test to determine phosphorylcholine (PC) bearing epitopes in UFA C2-A indicated no immunological reaction with anti-PC monoclonal antibody by avidin-biotin enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The highly sensitive and more easily obtainable non-PC urinary filarial antigen, UFA C2-A, is of great immunodiagnostic interest for lymphatic filariasis.