Detection of circulating antigen by McAb-AST for evaluating the efficacy of anti-Leishmania chemotherapy. |
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Authors: | X Hu F Lin B Kan W Yan |
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Affiliation: | Laboratory of Parasitology, West China University of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan. |
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Abstract: | We have adapted the simple and sensitive McAb-antigen spot test (AST) for evaluating the efficacy of anti-Leishmania chemotherapy. Serum samples from 37 kala-azar patients were tested by McAb-AST, and all showed definite positive reactions before treatment. After a course of antimony treatment, 20 turned negative, coupled with the disappearance of clinical symptoms; another 12 cases responded with weak positivity accompanied by an improvement of clinical manifestations; and the remaining 5 antimony-resistant patients showed strong positive reactions, with their conditions gradually worsening. Furthermore, all 6 cases in which the diagnosis was missed by the bone marrow smear method turned McAb-AST negative after chemotherapy. These results suggest that McAb-AST can be used to evaluate the efficacy of chemotherapy as well as to avoid missed diagnosis by the bone marrow smear method. |
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