Circulating antigens of Schistosoma parasites in urine of schistosomiasis patients in Central Sudan

 Ashraf S. Yousif^1*, Eshtiyag A. Abdelkareem¹, Salma M. Elhag¹, Lemeis A. Elgimeaabi¹, Magdi A. Ahmed¹, Ehab A. Frah², Ahmed Babiker³ and Atif A. Elagib¹

¹Department of Immunology and Biotechnology-Tropical Medicine Research Institute-National Centre for Research, Khartoum, Sudan.

²Department of Vectors and Biomedical Studies, Tropical Medicine Research Institute-National Centre for Research, Khartoum, Sudan.

³National Centre for Research-Ministry of Sciences and Technology-Khartoum-Sudan.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: ashtmri@gmail.com. Tel:  +249 83 777501,

+249 9 12251894. Fax: +249 83 781845

Accepted 3 November, 2009

   Abstract

This study was aimed to detect circulating antigens of the schistosoma parasites in urine of schistosomiasis patients living in two camps, Hababna and Elshajara camps within Tyieba Elshiekh Elgorashi village, located North West from Hassahiesa city in the Gezira state- central Sudan. The prevalence of S. haematobium in the two camps was 15.4% and the prevalence of S. mansoni was 53.8%. Urine samples of individuals infected with S. mansoni (93), S. haematobium (13) and with both (co-infection, 19), were electrophoretically separated on SDS-PAGE and immunoblotted against confirmed schistosoma patient’s serum. Immunogenic protein band with molecular weight 91 kDa was observed in all urine samples of individuals infected with S. haematobium and co-infection. In addition to 48 kDa in 8(61.5%), 11(57.9%) urine samples of infected individuals with S. haematobium and co-infection, respectively. A 60 kDa was found in 61(65.6%) urine samples of infected individuals with S. mansoni.  No band was observed in urine samples of healthy control groups from endemic and non-endemic area. The present study showed that a 91 kDa protein is a highly immunogenic and may be a useful marker for diagnosing urinary schistosomiasis.

Key words: Circulating antigen, immunogenic protein, molecular weight, endemic area, urinary schistosomiasis.