Benha M. J. Vol. 16 No 2 May 1999 APPLICABILITY OF ELISA ON BUFFER-ELUATES OF CAPILLARY BLOOD SPOTTED ON FILTER PAPERS FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF HUMAN FASCIOLIASIS Mohamed H. Saleh MD, All El saied MD and Atef Hussein MD Department ofParasitology. Benha Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University. Egypt. Abstract This work was designed to study the applicability of enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) on buffer eluates of capillary blood spotted on filter papers for the diagnosis of human fascioliasis and to study the parasite-specific antibody profile in such infection. The relative concentra-tions oflgM and IgG antibodies to excretory-secretory (E/S) Fasciola anti¬gen were evaluated by means of ELISA in. paired samples of venous sera and buffer-eluates of capillary blood drops dried on filter papers. Sam¬ples were obtained from parasitologically positive. 25 cases of fasciolia¬sis. Levels of either IgM or IgG specific antibody were consistent in paired samples of blood eluates and sera, without any significant difference. Storage of dried blood on filter papers for up to 4 loeeks (at 4 C°) did not alter the antibody levels as compaired to paired venous blood sera, kept at - 70C°. Anti-E/S Fasciola antigen IgM and IgG antibodies were found in 100% of the patients and were abundant, while the parasite - specific IgA and IgE antibodies were found in 32% and 40% respectively of the patients and were less dominant. The data thus support the COnclllSiOR that ELISA detection of specific IgM and / or IgG antibody response to E/ S Fasciola antigen is more valuable in serodiagnosis of fascioliasis than the detection of IgA or IgE specific-antibody response. The use of ELISA on filter paper blood eluates can be an alternative valuable epidimiologi-cal tool for seroepidimiological study on fieldwork diagnosis of fasciolia¬sis. 423