Definitive diagnosis of hookworm infection is usually based on the microscopic detection of eggs in a stool sample; however, several cases display a low or irregular egg output. Serodiagnosis can be a useful tool to identify these cases, but conventional tests do not differentiate past from active infections. The aim of this study was to obtain and apply egg yolk polyclonal immunoglobulin (IgY) antibodies to detect immune complexes (ICs) in serum samples from patients infected with hookworm. Hens were immunized withAncylostoma ceylanicumsaline extract, their eggs were collected and then IgY antibodies were extracted and purified. Antibody purity was tested by 12% sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and specificity was assessed by immunoblotting and immunofluorescence. IgY production was evaluated by kinetics enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Sandwich ELISA tested the ability of IgY to detect ICs in serum samples, from which diagnostic parameters were calculated. Antibody responses increased steadily from day 7 to 42. In the immunoblotting assay, IgY recognized two protein complexes. The immunofluorescence assay showed no staining in control samples. The sandwich ELISA presented a very high diagnostic value, with a sensitivity of 90% and a specificity of 86.7%. Our pioneer strategy highlights the potential use of egg yolk IgY as a diagnostic test to detect active hookworm infection.

(1) Background: The validation of biological antigens is the study’s utmost goal in biomedical applications. We evaluated three different probes with single and multiple epitopes through electrochemical detection of specific IgG in serum for human strongyloidiasis diagnosis. (2) Methods: Screen-printed gold electrodes were used and probes consisting of two single-epitope synthetic peptides (D3 and C10) with different sequences, and a multi-epitope antigen [detergent phase (DP)—hydrophobic membrane proteins]. Human serum samples from three populations were used: Strongyloides stercoralis positive, positive for other parasitic infections and negative controls. To test the immobilization of probes onto a screen-printed gold electrode and the serum IgG detection, electrochemical analyses were carried out through differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and the electrode surface analyses were recorded using atomic force microscopy. (3) Results: The electrochemical response in screen-printed gold electrodes of peptides D3 and C10 when using positive serum was significantly higher than that when using the DP. Our sensor improved sensitivity to detect strongyloidiasis. (4) Conclusions: Probes’ sequences are critical factors for differential electrochemical responses, and the D3 peptide presented the best electrochemical performance for strongyloidiasis detection, and may efficiently substitute whole antigen extracts from parasites for strongyloidiasis diagnosis in electrochemical immunosensors.

As fake news promovem a disseminação de informações sem fundamentação científica. Quando se referem à Educação em Saúde, essas notícias infundadas apresentam grave risco ao processo de aprendizagem. Este trabalho objetivou a realização de palestras expositivas com turmas do Ensino Fundamental como estratégia para promoção da saúde e combate às fake news relacionadas aos temas trabalhados (vacinas, saúde sexual e reprodutiva, toxoplasmose e posse responsável, relação entre desastres ambientais e doenças). Ao todo 236 estudantes responderam o questionário de verificação de aprendizagem aplicado ao final das atividades. Verificamos que 42,8% dos estudantes demonstraram satisfação com as atividades e 30% relataram necessidade de mais atividades como esta na escola. As palestras foram avaliadas como boas no que se refere a quantidade (48,7%) e tempo (48,3%). Além disso, 69,5% relataram que as atividades contribuíram para a aquisição de conhecimentos. A qualidade dos assuntos abordados e atuação dos palestrantes foram avaliadas como ótima (61,4% e 54,7%, respectivamente). Quanto à aquisição de conhecimentos, os percentuais de acertos foram satisfatórios, porém revelaram certa dificuldade dos alunos em identificar os métodos contraceptivos e de prevenção às infecções sexualmente transmissíveis, bem como as formas de profilaxia da toxoplasmose. Tais resultados podem estar relacionados às dificuldades de se estabelecer um diálogo aberto sobre sexualidade, bem como ao desconhecimento e negligência da toxoplasmose. Conclui-se que as palestras foram eficientes para a promoção de saúde no ambiente escolar e ressaltamos a importância de mais atividades de conscientização para combate às fake news abordando assuntos relacionados à saúde.