Combined Application of Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) and Indirect Haemagglutination Test (IHA) as a Useful Tool for the Diagnosis and Post-operative Surveillance of Human Alveolar and Cystic Echinococcosis

Dedicated to Prof. Dr. G. Henneberg on occasion of his 80th birthday.
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Abstract

A combined application of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and indirect haemagglutination test (IHA) for the diagnosis and post-operative surveillance of human alveolar and cystic echinococcosis is described. Since January 1985 each serum sample submitted for the detection of specific antibodies was examined with both an ELISA using Echinococcus multilocularis antigen (EmELISA) and an IHA using E. granulosus antigen (EgIHA).

In the course of our study altogether 72 human cases of Echinococcus infections were diagnosed. All 16 cases of alveolar echinococcosis (= 100%) and 48 out of 56 cases of cystic echinococcosis (= 86%) were revealed as Echinococcus infection at least in one of the two tests. Although crude antigens were used in both, EmELISA and EglHA, species-specific diagnosis was achieved in 57 (= 89%) of 64 cases of the infections with E. multilocularis or E. granulosus. The diagnostic value of EmELISA and EglHA for the post-operative surveillance is demonstrated by the follow-up of the immune response of one case of alveolar and three cases of cystic echinococcosis.

Zusammenfassung

Es wird über den kombinierten Einsatz eines Enzymimmuntests (ELISA) und eines Indirekten Hämagglutinationstests (IHA) für die serologische Abklärung von Echinococcus-Infektionen des Menschen und die post-operative Überwachung von Fällen alveolärer und zystischer Echinokokkose berichtet. Seit Januar 1985 wurde jede Serumprobe von Patienten mit Verdacht auf eine Echinococcus-Intektion mittels ELISA mit Echinococcus multilocularis-Antigen (EmELISA) einerseits und eines IHA mit E. granulosus-Antigen (EglHA) andererseits auf spezifische Antikörper untersucht. Von den 72 während der Studie bekannt gewordenen Echinokokkose-Fällen wurden alle 16 Fälle alveolärer (= 100%) und 48 der 56 Fälle zystischer Echinokokkose (= 86%) serologisch erkannt.

Trotz Verwendung von Rohantigenen in beiden serologischen Tests konnte in 57 (= 89%) von 64 Fällen eine spezies-spezifische Diagnose gestellt werden.

Anhand eines Falles alveolärer und dreier Fälle zystischer Echinokokkose wird der sinnvolle Einsatz der EmELISA-EgIHA-Testkombination für die post-operative Überwachung demonstriert.

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    Dr. Herbert Auer, Dept. Med. Parasitology, Institute of Hygiene, Kinderspitalgasse 15, A-1095 Vienna, Austria

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