Different suitability of 3 filarial antigens (Litomosoides carinii, Dipetalonema viteae, Dirofilaria immitis) to act as allergens in the Passive Cutaneous Anaphylaxis Test and to serve as antigens in an ELISA in the course of experimental filarial infections (L. carinii, D. viteae, Brugia malayi, B. pahangi) of Mastomys natalensis.

Crude extracts of adult worms of 3 different filariae (Litomosoides carinii, Dipetalonema viteae, Dirofilaria immitis) were evaluated for their suitability to serve as allergens in the Passive Cutaneous Anaphylaxis Test (PCA) and as antigens in an ELISA which detected mainly IgG antibodies. Studies were done in the course of 4 different filarial infections (L. carinii, D. viteae, Brugia malayi, B. pahangi) of Mastomys natalensis, using sera from different times after infection up to 350 days p.i.--In the PCA L. carinii and D. viteae antigens, apart from L. carinii infection caused reactions to a similar degree. In the L. carinii infection the homologous antigen was more effective. The D. immitis antigen was clearly less effective: high titres were found only during the early prepatency of D. viteae and Brugia infections and during the early patency of L. carinii and D. viteae infections. In all other cases, if at all, it led to weak reactions only.--In the ELISA different time courses were obtained as well. In Brugia infections values obtained with D. viteae and D. immitis antigens were significantly correlated but were not related to those obtained by the L. carinii antigen. However, the L. carinii antigen detected high levels of antibodies especially during prepatency of B. malayi, B. pahangi and D. viteae infections. No relations were found between the antigens for the D. viteae infection. In the case of the L. carinii infection the values of all 3 antigens were significantly correlated.