Preliminary evaluation of the diagnostic potential of Schistosoma japonicum extracellular vesicle proteins for schistosomiasis japonica

Abstract Schistosomiasis is a chronic parasitic disease caused by the genus Schistosoma and poses a great threat to human and animal health. Identification of effective biomarkers would facilitate evaluation of drug efficacy and recognition of infected hosts, which are crucial for effective schistosomiasis control. Extracellular vesicle (EV) proteins are considered ideal biomarkers for developing invasive diagnostic tools. In this study, we evaluated the potential of Schistosoma japonicum EV (SjEV) proteins as biomarkers for diagnosing schistosomiasis. Several SjEV proteins were subject to epitope prediction using DNASTAR software, and the diagnostic potential of selected peptides was evaluated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results indicated that the sera showed detectable antibody levels against the two antigens in mice, rabbits, and humans infected with S. japonicum. Further analysis of the combined epitope protein demonstrated a modest sensitivity for detection of schistosomiasis japonica. Our preliminary study suggests that S. japonicum EV proteins could serve as potential biomarkers for developing diagnostic tools for schistosomiasis.