Western blot of Entamoeba histolytica antigenic fractions: reactivity analysis with sera from intestinal amoebiasis patients.

The reactivity of sera from acute-phase intestinal amoebiasis patients (two weeks evolution) was studied to determine which of the Entamoeba histolytica antigens are most frequently immunogenic. Sera were examined by means of immunoelectrotransferase assay using crude extract of HM1:IMSS E. histolytica trophozoites. Three populations of clinically healthy adults from Mexico, Canada and Germany, with no evidence of parasites in faeces, were used as controls. The frequency of antigen recognition was analysed. In ailing individuals, the bands of 23, 24, 26 and 51 kDa were recognized most frequently (65 and 60%) followed by the 62 kDa band (56%). The combination of some of these bands, namely 3.4, 4.1 and 6.7, with molecular weights of 62, 51 and 24 kDa, increased the recognition frequency of patients to 91.4%. These results constitute a first but important step towards the design of more accurate methods for the successful immunodiagnosis and epidemiology of acute intestinal amoebiasis.