A gene family expressing a host-protective antigen of Echinococcus granulosus

Abstract

Echinococcus granulosus causes cystic hydatidosis in humans. A recombinant antigen vaccine has been developed, for use in the parasite's natural animal intermediate hosts, that may provide a new tool for control of hydatid disease transmission. The antigen, designated EG95, is encoded by a cDNA the features of which indicate it to be an incomplete copy of the associated mRNA. Characterisation of the gene(s) encoding the antigen was undertaken in order to enable subsequent study of genetic variability in the gene and associated protein in different parasite isolates. Southern hybridisation studies of E. granulosus genomic DNA probed with the eg95 cDNA revealed that the gene belonged to a gene..