Designing and evaluation of Dot-ELISA for diagnosis of Fasciola infection in cattle

Fasciolosis is a disease caused by liver fluck of the genus of Fasciola. Diagnosis of fasciolosis has been challenging for a long period due to low sensitivity of the coprological diagnostic method. In this study, an in-house Dot-ELISA method; using excretion–secretory (ES Ag) and Crude (Cr Ag) antigens of Fasciola was described for diagnosis of fasciolosis in cattle. For this purpose, the sera specimens of slaughtered cattle were taken and examined for Fasciola infection. Sera from two groups of cattle, one infected with Fasciola (n = 60) and the other non-infected with Fasciola (n = 60), were used in the Dot- ELISA test. All sera were tested and evaluated. Except specificity, other parameters such as, sensitivity, accuracy, positive and negative predictive values of Dot- ELISA with ES Ag were better than those of Dot- ELISA with Cr Ag. In conclusion, excretory–secretory antigen dependent Dot-ELISA can be used as a reliable sero-diagnostic test for Fasciola infection in cattle.