Evaluation of diagnostic potential of whole cyst lysate of Sarcocystis fusiformis for bubaline sarcocystosis

Antibody detection enzyme immunoasssay using whole cyst lysate antigen of Sarcocystis fusiformis was standardized and evaluated for the diagnosis of bubaline sarcocystosis. For the study, tissue (oesophagus, tongue, heart and diaphragm) and blood samples from each of the 160 buffaloes slaughtered at local abattoir of Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India, were collected. Tissue samples were subjected to macroscopic and microscopic examinations for the detection of sarcocysts whereas blood samples were used for sera extraction for detection of antibodies by ELISA. Sarcocystis fusiformis isolated from tissues were used for preparation of whole cyst lysate antigen and subsequently used for development of antibody-detection ELISA. Ab-ELISA was standardized using pooled known negative, pooled known positive, hyper immune and foetal calf serum and was then compared with tissue examination. Antibody-ELISA could detect antibodies against Sarcocystis in 63.75% serum samples with 88.88% sensitivity and 68.57% specificity. Kappa value showed moderate efficacy of the WCL based antibody ELISA.