Circulating antigens of dirofilaria immitis, monoclonal antibodies specific therefor and methods of preparing such antibodies and detecting such antigens

摘要

Novel hybrid cell lines are disclosed for providing monoclonal antibodies to circulating parasite antigens present in the blood of animals infected with the nematode parasite Dirofilaria immitis. Such circulating parasite antigens are also characterized and identified. Further disclosed are methods employed to produce and select such hybrid cell lines and diagnostically useful assay methods utilizing the monoclonal antibodies in the detection of such specific circulating parasite antigens in blood or bodily fluids.