Compositions, Devices, Kits and Methods for Detecting Hookworm

Abstract

Methods, devices, kits and compositions for detecting the presence or absence of hookworm in a fecal sample are disclosed herein. The methods, devices, kits and compositions of the present invention may be used to confirm the presence or absence of hookworm in a fecal sample from a mammal that may also be infected with one or more of roundworm, whipworm, and heartworm. Confirmation of the presence or absence of hookworm in the mammal may be made, for example, for the purpose of selecting an optimal course of treating the mammal and/or for the purpose of determining whether the mammal has been rid of the infection after treatment has been initiated.

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         9 . A device comprising a solid support and one or more antibodies immobilized onto the solid support, wherein the one or more antibodies are capable of specifically binding to CoproASP5 polypeptide. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more antibodies are obtained by immunization with a polypeptide that has an amino acid sequence that corresponds to SEQ ID NO:4, or an antigenic portion thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide has 30 or fewer conserved amino acid substitutions to SEQ ID NO:4. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide is a conservative variant of SEQ ID NO:4. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein the mammalian sample is a fecal sample. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more antibodies do not specifically bind any coproantigen derived from the group consisting of roundworm, whipworm, and heartworm. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein one or more of the one or more antibodies are labeled. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein the device is an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay device. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay device is a lateral flow immunoassay device. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein the mammal is a canine or a feline. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein the device further includes one or more reagents for the detection of one or more of the group consisting of: one or more non-hookworm worm parasites, one or more non-worm parasites, one or more viruses, one or more fungi, and one or more bacteria. 
     
     
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         52 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein the hookworm is  Ancylostoma caninum  or  Ancylostoma braziliense.    
     
     
         53 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein the CoproASP5 is an N-terminal ASP-5 fragment of about 28 kDa and comprises four polypeptide fragments 
       
         
           
                 
                 
               
                     
                   (SEQ ID NO: 6) 
                 
                     
                   KNDLLEDAVKQ, 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   (SEQ ID NO: 7) 
                 
                     
                   KQWYLPVIYYGQRD, 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   (SEQ ID NO: 8) 
                 
                     
                   RLYTFANLAYDKN 
                 
                     
                   and 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   (SEQ ID NO: 9) 
                 
                     
                   KNTALGCHYAKC. 
                 
             
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
               
            
           
         
       
     
     
         54 . A kit for the detection of one or more hookworm antigens in a mammalian sample, the kit comprising the device of  claim 9 , and one or more reagents sufficient for the detection of the one or more antigens. 
     
     
         55 . The kit of  claim 54 , wherein the one or more reagents are selected from the group consisting of one or more indicator reagents, one or more antibody labeling compounds, one or more antibodies, one or more antigen capture reagents, one or more inhibitors, and one or more wash reagents.