Short communication: Excretory-secretory antigens allow effective IgG detection in experimental Strongyloides hyperinfection under immunosuppression

Abstract

The study of hyperinfection in animal models is important to control strongyloidiasis as a public health concern. While human strongyloidiasis is often chronic, experimental models allow the assessment of the acute phase of hyperinfection. This study evaluated excretory/secretory (E/S) antigens of Strongyloides venezuelensis L3 larvae to detect IgG antibodies in serum samples from rats immunosuppressed or not and experimentally infected or not with S. venezuelensis. Infection parameters and IgG detection by the antigenic extracts – total saline extract (TS), E/S in RPMI 1640 (RPMI E/S), and E/S in phosphate buffered saline (PBS E/S) – were evaluated. RPMI E/S achieved the best diagnostic parameters, showing no reactivity with non-infected controls. These data demonstrate that E/S antigens are effective for detecting strongyloidiasis during the acute hyperinfection window, offering a reliable tool for experimental research and potential translational applications for screening high-risk patients.