Parasitic diseases remain as a major public health problem worldwide, not only based on their historically high morbidity and mortality rates, but also because risk factors associated with their transmission are increasing. Laboratory diagnosis and particularly immunodiagnosis is a basic tool for the demonstration, clinical management and control of these
infections. Classically, the serological tests for the detection of
antibodies or
antigens are based on the use of crude and purified
antigens. Synthetic
peptides have opened a new field and perspectives, as the source of pure
epitopes and molecules for diagnosis of
malaria,
Chagas' disease,
leishmaniasis,
schistosomiasis, hidatidosis,
cysticercosis and fasciolosis based on the detection of
antibodies and circulating
antigens. Herein, are critically reviewed the relevant advances and applications of the synthetic
peptides on immunodiagnosis of
parasitic diseases. A variety of sequences, constructs (monomers,
polymers, MAPs), immunological methods and samples have been used, demonstrating their diagnostic potential. However, in most
parasitic infections it is necessary to use more than a single
peptide in order to avoid the genetic restriction against certain
epitopes, as well as to test them in well characteized groups of patients, in order to confirm their sensitivity and specificity. The concept of multidiagnosis with synthetic
peptides, using a novel multi-dot blot assay is introduced. Finally, the chemical imitation of
antigens, offers a tremendous posibilities in the diagnosis of
parasitic infections in developing countries since this strategy is cheaper, simpler, reproducible, useful for large scale testing and in most cases, specific and sensitive.