Application of western blotting procedure for the immunodiagnosis of visceral larva migrans in mice by using excretory/secretory antigens

A Western blotting procedure with excretory/secretory antigens from Toxocara canis larvae was developed for immunodiagnosis of visceral larva migrans in mice. In this study, eighty Swiss albino mice were allotted into two groups of 40 each as control and experimental groups, and T. canis ova containing infective larvae were given to mice in the latter group to form visceral larva migrans. Blood samples were taken from 5 infected and 5 control mice on days 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, and 60 after infection. After bleeding, the mice were necropsied. Slides were prepared from their brain tissues and examined for visceral larva migrans. Following this procedure, their guts were also examined for intestinal parasites. Protein bands of excretory/secretory antigens of 2nd stage larvae of Toxocara canis were determined by using SDS-PAGE. Sera from the mice were tested by Western blotting and results were compared to the protein bands obtained by SDS-PAGE to determine specific bands. Specific protein bands for visceral larva migrans were determined as 24, 28, and 48 kDa according to our test results.