Detection of hydatid fluid and protoscolices antigens in sheep with hydatidosis

Hydatidosis is a disease caused by infection with the metacestode stage of the dog tapeworm, Echinococcus granulosus. This is recognised as one of the world’s most important zoonoses, affecting both humans and their domestic animals. In the current study, 20 sheep cystic livers or lungs were collected. Hydatid fluid and protoscolices were isolated and the soluble protein was prepared. Polypeptide profile of hydatid fluid and protoscolices was analysed by SDS-PAGE with 12.5% acrylamide concentration. Humoral immunity and antigenic pattern were evaluated by Western blotting. In electrophoresis of hydatid fluid, five bands with molecular weight of 84, 68–70, 55, 27–28 and 16–17 kDa were observed; the 68–70 and 55 kDa bands were noticeably dominant. In Western blot of hydatid fluid protein, only 68–70 and 55 kDa bands had conciderable positive reaction. A total of 12 bands were also observed in protoscolices polypeptide profile. The molecular weight of the bands were 120, 88–89, 84, 66, 55–56, 49–50, 43–44, 36, 30–31, 24, 20 and 15–16 kDa. Seven bands with molecular weight of 66, 55–56, 49–50, 43–44, 36, 30–31 and 24 kDa had positive reaction in Western blot. We concluded that the determination of specific antigenic bands for sheep hydatid fluid and protoscolices was successfully achieved in this study.