Stage-specific antibody response against two larval stages of Brugia malayi in different clinical spectra of brugian filariasis

CONTEXT: T-cell hypo-responsiveness in microfilaria (Mf) carriers against the microfilarial stage antigen of Brugia malayi has been described, but no study has been carried out to assess antibody dynamics against stage-specific antigens. AIM: The work was carried out with the aim to assess stage-specific antibody responses against L3 and microfilarial stage antigens in brugian filariasis in an endemic area. SETTING AND DESIGN: Patients with different clinical spectra of brugian filariasis were recruited to evaluate antibody responses to brugian antigens. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Serum samples were collected from patients with different clinical spectra and antibody response was evaluated for total immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgG isotypes (IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, IgG4) and immunoglobulin E (IgE) response to L3 and microfilarial stage by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Paired t-test and one-way analysis of variance were carried out to analyze the data. RESULTS: L3 and microfilarial stage antigens showed almost similar antibody responses in adenolymphangitis (ADL) and chronic pathology (CP) patients, however, diminished antibody response was observed with Mf stage antigen, especially with microfilaraemia. ADL patients had minimum antibody levels of all isotypes except IgG2 on day 0 which showed an increase subsequently, indicating suppression of antibody response during filarial fever. CP patients showed increase in IgE and decrease in IgG4 antibodies on day 365 indicating that these differences may be due to recent conversion into CP. CONCLUSION: A prominent hyporesponsiveness in microfilaraemic individuals against microfilarial stage, but not against the L3 stage of the same parasite was observed, concluding stage-specificity in humoral immune response in brugian filariasis.