Comparison of Crude and Excretory/Secretory Antigens for the Diagnosis of Fasciola hepatica in Sheep by Western Blotting

Crude and excretory/secretory (E/S) antigens of Fasciola hepatica were subjected to SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis in order to identify protein bands that would enable the specific and sensitive immunodiagnosis of sheep. Sera from 20 sheep with natural infections of F. hepatica, Dicrocoelium dendriticum, Cyst hydatid, Cysticercus tenuicollis, Trichostrongylidae, Paramphistomum spp., and Trichuris spp. and the same number of sera naturally infected with the same helminths without F. hepatica were tested using Western blotting, and the bands obtained from positive and negative groups were compared. According to the test results the specific protein bands for F. hepatica infection were 33, 39.5 and 42 kDa in E/S antigens and 24, 33 and 66 kDa in crude antigen.