Evaluation of purified antigen fraction in the immunodiagnosis of cystic echinococcosis

WOS: 000339965300011PubMed ID: 24828349Echinococcus granulosus antigen B fraction (AgB) was evaluated for its prognostic value in the serological follow-up of cystic echinococcosis (CE), compared to crude hydatid fluid (HF) as well as soluble somatic Echinococcus multilocularis antigen (Em). The sensitivity and specificity of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) were compared examining 177 sera from patients with different clinical courses and outcome of CE and with other parasitic infections. AgB-ELISA in comparison to confirmed cystic echinococcosis has 96.4 % sensitivity and 97.2 % specificity, with 93.1 % positive predictive value and 98.6 % negative predictive value. The HF-ELISA was more sensitive than the AgB-ELISA, but its specificity was lower. Our results indicate that AgB-ELISA was more satisfactory for seroconfirmation of acute echinococcosis than HF-ELISA. Moreover, the AgB-ELISA has a potential key role in control measures implemented in patients undergoing surgery. In sera of patients more than 3 months after the treatment, no antibody response to antigen B was detected; however, with conventionally used HF-ELISA, they were still positive. The AgB is recommended for the confirmatory diagnosis. AgB-WB allocated low background with typical "triplet" bands at 8-12-16 kDa.SAIA "Action Austria-Slovakia" [41 s5]; Scientific and Technical Research Council of TurkeyTurkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Arastirma Kurumu (TUBITAK) [SBAG-SLOVAK-1 102S115]; Operational Programme "Research and Development" from the European Regional Development Fund [ITMS 26220120022, 0.4]This study was supported by SAIA "Action Austria-Slovakia" No. 41 s5 and the Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey (SBAG-SLOVAK-1 102S115). The publication has been realised within a frame of the project Centre of Excellence for Parasitology (Code ITMS 26220120022) based on the support of the Operational Programme "Research and Development" funded from the European Regional Development Fund (rate 0.4)