Korean J Parasitol.  2009 Jun;47(2):153-157. 10.3347/kjp.2009.47.2.153.

Serum Antigen and Antibody Detection in Echinococcosis: Application in Serodiagnosis of Human Hydatidosis

• Sadjjadi S
• Sedaghat F
• Hosseini S
• Sarkari B

• KMID: 1720625
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2009.47.2.153

Abstract

Diagnosis of hydatidosis is based on immunodiagnostic methods along with radiological and ultrasound examinations. The objectives of the present study were to develop a specific and simple antigen-based ELISA method for diagnosis of hydatidosis and compare it with antibody detection method. The subjects in this study included 89 patients in the following groups: surgically confirmed hydatidosis patients (35 cases), control with other parasitic diseases (29 cases), and healthy controls (25 cases). Hyperimmune serum was raised against hydatid cyst fluid in rabbits. Anti-hydatid cyst IgG was purified by affinity chromatography using protein A column and labeled with horseradish peroxidase. Collected sera were assessed for hydatid cyst antigens and antibody by ELISA. Circulating hydatid antigen was found in 9 out of 35 patients with surgically confirmed hydatidosis. A sensitivity of 25.7% and a specificity of 98.0% were calculated for the antigen detection assay. Antibody detection by indirect ELISA, using antigen B, showed that 94.2% of patients (33 cases) have anti-hydatid cyst antibodies in their serum while cross reaction was noted in a few of non-hydatidosis patients. A sensitivity of 94.2% and specificity of 81.6% were found for the antibody detection assay. Findings of this study indicated that antibody detection assay is a sensitive approach for diagnosis of hydatid cyst while antigen detection assay might be a useful approach for assessment of the efficacy of treatment especially after removal of the cyst.

Keyword

Echinococcus granulosus; hydatidosis; ELISA; diagnosis; antigen detection

MeSH Terms

Adult
Antibodies, Helminth/*blood
Antigens, Helminth/*blood
Echinococcosis/*diagnosis
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Female
Humans
Male
Sensitivity and Specificity