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Fasciolosis caused by Fasciola gigantica is one of the major public health problems in the world including Egypt. Immunodiagnostic methods are more applicable for their better sensitivity and specificity than other methods. The present study was conducted to cysteine proteinase (CP) antigens of F. gigantica in IgG-ELISA to diagnose human fasciolosis. IgG-ELISA with 2 cysteine proteinases of 27 kDa (Fas1) and 29 kDa (Fas2), obtained from the regurgitated materials of adult worms, were evaluated using serum samples from 90 Egyptian patients infected with F. gigantica, 55 patients with other parasitic infections and 50 healthy volunteers. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of Fas1 for detection of F. gigantica infection were 91.1% and 89.1%, respectively. The positivity of the assay was 95%. The positive and negative predicted values were 91% and 86%, respectively. These data suggest that IgG-ELISA with Fas1 is highly sensitive and specific assay and could be used for the immunodiagnosis of human fasciolosis.

Three viper P-III hemorrhagic SVMPs: EpyHTI (60 kDa), EcoHTI (60 kDa) and CcHTI (58 kDa) of the most dangerous vipers Echis pyramidum, Echis coloratus and Cerastes cerastes, respectively were purified and characterized in a set of biochemical assays. The SVMPs were purified by applying a protocol of three successive chromatographic steps. The enzymatic activity of the purified SVMPs was stimulated by the divalent cations Ca2+, Mg2+ and inhibited by metalloproteinase inhibitors and (Zn2+, Mn2+, Ni2+, Co2+, Cu2+ and Hg2), whereas inhibitors of serine and cysteine proteinases had no effect. The digestion of the BM proteins by purified SVMPs was much different, indicating different cleavage specificity for each of the purified SVMPs. Based on their intense hemorrhagic activity and molecular masses, the purified enzymes were hypothesized to belong to the P-III class of SVMPs. The three SVMPs possess close biochemical properties, but are different with respect to cleavage site, (fibronectin and fibrinogen). Furthermore, the described purification procedure allows simple preparation of appreciable quantities of the three SVMPs for further studies., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)