Comparison of antibody response and
antigen recognition was made by ELISA and western-blot analysis in pig experimental
infections by T-1 and T-3 Spanish Trichinella isolates. Two groups of Iberian pigs were experimentally infected with 150 larvae/kg
body weight of GM-1 and
C-76 Spanish Trichinella isolates as representatives of T-1 and T-3 gene pools respectively. Antibody levels and
antigen recognition were measured on days -14, 0, 6, 16, 20, 27, 34, 49, 63 and 82 after
infection by ELISA and western-blotting assays. Antibody response against
C-76 infection was significantly delayed and lower than against GM-1. The two Trichinella isolates were indistinguishable, however, by western blotting analysis, although recognition of larval
antigens was quantitatively higher than adult ones. Interestingly, the principle larval antigenic components recognized by pigs were those recognized by the monoclonal anti-sera NIM-M1. Finally, there were no serological patterns indicative of the stage of
infection ("antibody windows") discriminating, for example between early versus late
infections.