Antibody responses of patients with cystic hydatid disease to recombinant myophilin of Echinococcus granulosus

Hydatid patients were investigated for the presence of specific serum antibodies against a recombinant Echinococcus granulosus antigen, designated myophilin. The clinical history of each patient was examined to determine any correlation between factors such as cyst location and medical treatment on the presence or absence of antibodies to myophilin. Specific antibodies against recombinant myophilin were detected by Western blot analysis in 38.8% (7 of 18) of the hydatid patients examined. These patients also had the highest titres in ELISA against sheep hydatid cyst fluid antigen. There was an association between the presence of antibodies to myophilin and the patients having undergone recent treatment by chemotherapy and/or surgery, suggesting that the destruction of hydatid cysts may lead to an immune response against myophilin.