Screening methods in alveolar echinococcosis: a follow-up study comparing Emc- and Emf-ELISA with Em2plus-ELISA and ultrasonography

Epidemiol Infect. 2009 Jan;137(1):139-44. doi: 10.1017/S0950268808000514. Epub 2008 Mar 19.

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to identify Echinococcus multilocularis infection in follow-up of 95 subjects initially seropostive by Emc-ELISA or Emf-ELISA antibody assays and to compare the utility of these assays with specific Em2plus-ELISA and ultrasound screening for E. multilocularis infection. At follow-up seven subjects were seropositive with both methods, while three were seropositive only with Emc-ELISA and 11 only with Emf-ELISA. All subjects were seronegative with Em2plus-ELISA. There were no manifestations of E. multilocularis infestation by ultrasonographic screening. Seropositivity on Emc-ELISA and Emf-ELISA screening tests does not appear to correlate with manifest alveolar echinococcosis identified by ultrasound. A recommendation for further follow-up of subjects found to be seropositive with Emc-ELISA and Emf-ELISA but with no sonographic evidence of disease is not justified at this time.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Helminth / blood*
  • Echinococcosis, Pulmonary / diagnosis*
  • Echinococcosis, Pulmonary / pathology
  • Echinococcus multilocularis / immunology*
  • Echinococcus multilocularis / isolation & purification
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / methods
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mass Screening / methods*
  • Middle Aged
  • Ultrasonography / methods*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Helminth