Measurement of recent exposure to Phlebotomus argentipes, the vector of Indian visceral Leishmaniasis, by using human antibody responses to sand fly saliva.

Clements, Meredith F; Gidwani, Kamlesh; Kumar, Rajiv; Hostomska, Jitka; Dinesh, Diwakar S; Kumar, Vijay; Das, Pradeep; Müller, Ingrid; Hamilton, Gordon; Volfova, Vera; +8 more... Boelaert, Marleen; Das, Murari; Rijal, Suman; Picado, Albert; Volf, Petr; Sundar, Shyam; Davies, Clive R; Rogers, Matthew E; (2010) Measurement of recent exposure to Phlebotomus argentipes, the vector of Indian visceral Leishmaniasis, by using human antibody responses to sand fly saliva. The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, 82 (5). pp. 801-807. ISSN 0002-9637 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.2010.09-0336

Abstract

Antibody (IgG) responses to the saliva of Phlebotomus argentipes were investigated using serum samples from regions of India endemic and non-endemic for visceral leishmaniasis (VL). By pre-adsorbing the sera against the saliva of the competing human-biting but non-VL vector P. papatasi, we significantly improved the specificity of a P. argentipes saliva enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Using this method, we observed a statistically significant correlation between antibodies to P. argenitpes saliva and the average indoor density of female sand flies. Additionally, the method was able to detect recent changes in vector exposure when sera from VL patients were assayed before, during, and after hospitalization and protected from sand fly bites under untreated bed nets. Collectively, these results highlight the utility of antibodies to P. argentipes saliva as an important tool to evaluate VL vector control programs.

Additional Information

Item Type	Article
Faculty and Department	Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases > Dept of Disease Control
Research Centre	Vaccine Centre
PubMed ID	20439958
ISI	277406500010
Related URLs	OA Location