Isolation and characterisation of cathepsin L1 protease from Fasciola hepatica excretory-secretory products for serodiagnosis of human fasciolosis

Abstract

The major antigens secreted by the parasite Fasciola hepatica are cathepsin-L cysteine proteases. The enzymes can be isolated from the parasite excretory-secretory products in sufficient quantities for use as an antigen for the serodiagnosis of humna fasciolosis. The methods illustrated in this chapter willexplain the isolation of cysteine proteases from E hepatica excretory-secretory products by gel filtration and anion exchange chromatography, and their subsequent characterisation and employment in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of anti-fasciola antibodies int he serum of infected humans