Parmida Malekzadeh - Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Seyed Hossein Hosseini - Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Mahsa Shahbakhsh - Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Parviz Shayan - Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Mohammad Zibaei - Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran
Shahram Jamshidi - Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Elham Rismani - Molecular Medicine Department, Biotechnology Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
Abdorreza Naser Moghadasi - Multiple Sclerosis Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Mohammad Akrami - Department of Pharmaceutical Biomaterials and Medical Biomaterials Research Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Fateme Jalousian - Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

The protein C-type lectin is secreted by the secondary-stage larve of Toxocara canis (T. canis). Its antigenic characteristics have been the subject of research. The recombinant pET-۳۲a (+) plasmid containing the ۶۶۰ bp sequence of T. canis C-type lectin gene was successfully synthesized, cloned, and expressed in Escherichia coli (DE۳+). Serum samples were collected from ۵۶ pet owners. Forty-four samples were negative and twelve samples were positive which were performed with a commercial ELISA kit. The same samples were also tested using dot blot and Western blot analysis prepared with recombinant CTL antigen (rCTL). The expression was confirmed by Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate (SDS-PAGE) and Western blot. The study results revealed that two samples, which tested negative in the ELISA analysis, were found to be positive when using the recombinant C-type lectin (rCTL) antigen in both dot blot and Western blot analyses. The overall test results showed a high level of agreement between the three methods, with Kappa coefficients of ۱ and ۰.۹ for the comparisons. This indicates the potential of using recombinant CTL antigen, to detect positive samples that may be missed by E-S Antigen. The recombinant rCTL demonstrated higher sensitivity than the excretory-secretory Antigens, indicating its potential for improved serodiagnosis of human toxocariasis. The study proposes that the rCTL could be further evaluated in supplementary studies to improve and develop the diagnostic kits for toxocariasis.

Immunoblot assay, Pet owners, Serodiagnosis, Toxocariasis