Utility of Schistosoma spindale adult worm antigens for sero diagnosis of visceral schistosomosis in bovines by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA)

Natural S. spindale infection is not diagnosed frequently by faecal examination since direct smear and salt floatation methods for detecting eggs have poor sensitivity. In the present study, Indirect ELISA was conducted to detect specific antibodies to Schistosoma spindale infection in bovines using whole worm antigen. Out of 250 cattle serum samples screened, 46 were positive indicating 18.40 percent infection. Whereas, out of 250 buffalo serum samples screened, 40 (16.0%) were positive. The overall sensitivity of this test was 77.27% and specificity was 75%. Out of 12 serum samples collected from animals positive for fasciolosis, amphistomosis and hydatidosis to check for specificity in ELISA, 8 sera showed cross reactivity with Fasciola and amphistome sp.