Erythroadsorption and enzyme-linked immunoassays (EAIA and ELISA) for specific circulating antibodies and antigens in schistosomiasis.

We developed a method of immunologic titration by erythroadsorption in order to assay anti-Schistosoma mansoni soluble cercarial antigen IgM antibodies and anti-S. mansoni soluble worm and egg antigen IgG antibodies. This method was compared to the ELISA technique. Results obtained using the two techniques were similar, although the erythroadsorption technique was less sensitive for identifying IgM during the acute phase of the disease. Both assay systems revealed a correlation between the level of circulating soluble antigens contained in the eggs and the number of eggs found in the stools of this particular group of patients.