Studies on the immunology and serology of leishmaniasis - V. The use of particles as vehicles in passive agglutination tests

Abstract

Naked sheep erythrocytes, tanned sheep erythrocytes, tanned human erythrocytesof Group O, tanned and formolized sheep erythrocytes and latex particles were sensitized R. S. BRAY AND R. LAINSON 505 with antigens derived from 8 strains of Leishmania spp. and used in agglutination tests with various antisera and immune sela. Sensitized erythrocytes were fonnolized and algo used in agglutination tests. Successful agglutination tests could be performed consistent1y with any of these particles provided formalin treatment was omitted. Prior treatment with formalin rendered erythrocytes difficult to sensitize. Formalin treatment of sensitized erythrocytes caused auto-agglutination. The tests with various sela and various absorbed sela revealed serological differences between the strains used. A strain of Leishmania from Panama was shown to be quite distinct from L. mexicana of British Honduras and L. braziliensis of Brazil, and algo to be distinct from 2 strains of Leishmania from Costa Rica. The two Costa Rican strains algo represented distinct serotypes. Serological differences were detected between L. donovani from India and L. donovani from Kenya. With these tests no serological difference was detected between L. donovani (post-kala-azar dermalleishmanoid) from India and L. tropica from Israel, or between L. braziliensis of Brazil and one strain of so-called L. pifanoi from Brazil.