The influence of concurrent infection with Oesophagostomum species on the interpretation of the Elisa test for trichinosis in pigs

The effects of simulatenous infection of pigs with Oesophagostomum spp. and Trichinella spiralis on the interpretation of the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) for trichinosis were examined. Extinction values were observed from four groups of pigs. The first group acted as uninfected controls, the second was infected only with Oesophagostomum spp., the third with T. spiralis alone and the fourth by both nematodes.It was found that the pigs infected with T. spiralis could be differentiated from the others, but that those infected with both species had lower extinction values than the group with T. spiralis alone. The differences may be related to the numbers of T. spiralis larvae able to establish and develop into adults in the small intestine of the host. Those infected with Oesophagostomum spp. alone showed no rise in extinction values, and it was concluded that there was no cross-reaction in the ELISA between thos pecies and T. spiralis antigen.     

Comparison of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with three other methods for the detection of Trichinella spiralis infections in pigs

Four methods employed in the diagnosis of trichinellosis [trichinoscopy, digestion method, immunofluorescence techniques and Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA)] were compared by laboratories in eight countries of the European Economic Community. Material from 24 pigs infected with 10 000, 5000, 500, 150 and 0 T. spiralis larvae was examined during a period from 17 days to 12 weeks post infection. ELISA was more sensitive than immunofluorescence during the onser of the infection in groups in infected with higher numberts of larvae (1500, 5000 and 10 000 larvae). In general, however, results of both ELISA and immunofluorescence were comparable with regard to reliability. In pigs infected with a lower number of T. spiralis larvae both serological assays were more sensitive than the direct methods (trichinoscopy and digestion method).It was concluded that not enough evidence was available to suggest ELISA as an alternative to the direct methods for slaughterhouse control. Both the ELISA and the immunofluorescence technique may prove to be applicable for epidemiological surveys.