R Farhoudi - Department of Parasitology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
S.H Hosseini - Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine,University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
M.R Siavashi - Department of Parasitology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
M Abolhassani - Department of Immunology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is an infection caused by the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus . This is widely distributed through Iran, where avariety of animals act as intermediate host. The immunogenic antigens (Ag) of different compartments of the hydatid cyst have been alreadydetermined. One of these compartments is the laminated layer (LL). We have extracted a protein with the MW of 24 kDa from a lysate prepared fromthe LL and produced a monoclonal antibody (mAb) against this protein. Five mAb named P F , P H , P A , P C , and P F have been produced. Theisotype analysis showed that P F is IgG and the rest are IgM. P F was purified from the ascitic fluid of mice injected with P F hybridoma intraperitoneally. Western blot and ELISA analysis showed that this mAb could recognize the purified 24 kDa prepared from lysate of LL. Since a 24 kDa protein has been shown to be an immunogenic Ag, this protein can be used as a candidate for the development of diagnostic tests and vaccine strategies. For these aims, P F can be used for the purification of this 24 kDa protein

Echinococcus granulosus; laminatedlayer; Western blot; monoclonalantibody