<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Human echinococcosis, one of the most serious of parasitic zoonoses, is caused by the larval stages of taeniid cestodes of the genus <italic>Echinococcus</italic>. The study aimed to assess the reliability of the detection of specific antibodies to <italic>E. multilocularis</italic> and <italic>E. granulosus</italic> s.l. in human sera and to compare their diagnostic potential for their utilization in the practice. In the study, the somatic antigen of <italic>E. multilocularis</italic> (AgEm), antigen B (AgB), and the hydatid fluid antigen of <italic>E. granulosus</italic> and two commercial ELISA kits – <italic>Echinococcus granulosus</italic> (Bordier Affinity Products, Crissier, Switzerland) and NovaLisaTM<italic>Echinococcus</italic> IgG (NovaTec Immunodiagnostica, Germany) – were compared. Sera of patients with alveolar and cystic echinococcosis, and with different parasitic/other infections were used to evaluate the sensitivity, specificity and cross-reactivity of in-house and commercial ELISA methods. AgEm presented the highest values regarding the diagnostic indicators, showing 100 % specificity and 90.0 % sensitivity. The tests for serological diagnostics of cystic echinococcosis were less sensitive and specific. The <italic>Echinococcus granulosus</italic> kit had 83.8 % specificity and 88.2 % sensitivity, while AgB and AgHF showed 85.0 % and 86.3 % specificity, and 76.5 % and 100 % sensitivity, respectively. NovaLisaTM<italic>Echinococcus</italic> IgG proved to have 95.7 % specificity and 77.8 % sensitivity. The results point out that the combination of different serological tests and approaches in accordance with clinical and imaging findings is still essential to prove the correct diagnosis in suspected patients.</abstract>

Human echinococcosis, one of the most serious of parasitic zoonoses, is caused by the larval stages of taeniid cestodes of the genus Echinococcus. The study aimed to assess the reliability of the detection of specific antibodies to E. multilocularis and E. granulosus s.l. in human sera and to compare their diagnostic potential for their utilization in the practice. In the study, the somatic antigen of E. multilocularis (AgEm), antigen B (AgB), and the hydatid fluid antigen of E. granulosus and two commercial ELISA kits – Echinococcus granulosus (Bordier Affinity Products, Crissier, Switzerland) and NovaLisaTMEchinococcus IgG (NovaTec Immunodiagnostica, Germany) – were compared. Sera of patients with alveolar and cystic echinococcosis, and with different parasitic/other infections were used to evaluate the sensitivity, specificity and cross-reactivity of in-house and commercial ELISA methods. AgEm presented the highest values regarding the diagnostic indicators, showing 100 % specificity and 90.0 % sensitivity. The tests for serological diagnostics of cystic echinococcosis were less sensitive and specific. The Echinococcus granulosus kit had 83.8 % specificity and 88.2 % sensitivity, while AgB and AgHF showed 85.0 % and 86.3 % specificity, and 76.5 % and 100 % sensitivity, respectively. NovaLisaTMEchinococcus IgG proved to have 95.7 % specificity and 77.8 % sensitivity. The results point out that the combination of different serological tests and approaches in accordance with clinical and imaging findings is still essential to prove the correct diagnosis in suspected patients.

A comparative study of different immunoassays to detect specific antibodies to <italic>Echinococcus</italic> spp. in human sera

Helminthologia

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

A comparative study of different immunoassays to detect specific antibodies to  spp. in human sera

Human echinococcosis, one of the most serious of parasitic zoonoses, is caused by the larval stages of taeniid cestodes of the genus Echinococcus. The study...

	Antigens/ELISA tests used
Parasitic disease	E. multilocularis		E. granulosus s.l.		Echinococcus spp.

	AgEm	AgB	AgHF	Echinococcus granulosus(Bordier)	NovaLisa^TMEchinococcus IgG (NovaTec)
Alveolar echinococcosis (n = 10)	9	n.c.	n.c.	n.c.	8
Cystic echinococcosis (n = 17)	n.c.	13	17	15	13
Total correctly positive/tested	9/10	13/17	17/17	15/17	21/27
Sensitivity (%)	90.0	76.5	100	88.2	77.8

	Antigens/ELISA tests used
Parasitic/other infections	E. multilocularis	E. granulosus s.l.			Echinococcus spp.

	AgEm	AgB	AgHF	Echinococcus granulosus (Bordier)	NovaLisa^TMEchinococcus IgG (NovaTec)
Alveolar echinococcosis (n = 10)	n.c.	9	7	10	n.c.
Cystic echinococcosis (n = 17)	0	n.c.	n.c.	n.c.	n.c.
Ascariasis (n = 8)	0	0	0	1	0
Trichuriasis (n = 4)	0	0	0	0	0
Trichinellosis (n = 8)	0	0	0	0	1
Toxocariasis (n = 9)	0	0	0	1	0
Toxoplasmosis (n = 8)	0	1	1	0	0
Strongyloidiasis (n = 6)	0	0	2	1	0
Dirofilariasis (n = 1)	0	0	0	0	0
Ricketsiosis (n = 1)	0	0	0	0	0
Clinically healthy persons (n = 25)	0	2	1	2	2
Total false positive/tested	0/87	12/80	11/80	13/80	3/70

		Sensitivity (%)	Specificity (%)	PPV (%)	NPV (%)
Antigen/test	Parasitic disease	(95% CI)	(95% CI)	(95% CI)	(95% CI)	YI
AgEm	E. multilocularis	90.0	100	100	98.9	0.90
		(55.5–99.8)	(96.6–100)	n.c.	(93.1–99.8)
		76.5	85.0	52.0	94.4
AgB		(50.1–93.2)	(75.4–91.4)	(37.7–66.0)	(87.8–97.6)	0.61
		100	86.3	60.7	100
AgHF	E. granulosus	(83.8–100)	(76.7–92.9)	(47.2–72.8)	n.c.	0.86
		88.2	83.8	53.6	97.1
Echinococcus granulosus (Bordier)		(63.6–98.5)	(73.8–91.1)	(40.5–66.2)	(90.1–99.2)	0.72
		77.8	95.7	87.5	91.8
NovaLisa^TMEchinococcus IgG (NovaTec)	Echinococcus spp.	(57.7–91.4)	(87.8–99.1)	(69.4–95.6)	(84.6–95.8)	0.74

A comparative study of different immunoassays to detect specific antibodies to Echinococcus spp. in human sera

Article Category: Research Article

Pubblicato online: 05 ago 2020

Pagine: 219 - 225

Ricevuto: 03 feb 2020

Accettato: 30 mar 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/helm-2020-0025

Parole chiave
Echinococcosis, ELISA, sensitivity, specificity

© 2020 M. Fecková, D. Antolová, K. Reiterová, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Correct seropositive reactions in patients with confirmed alveolar or cystic echinococcosis.

False positive reactions with sera of patients suffering from different parasitic/other infections and with control sera.

Sensitivity, specificity and Youden index of tested antigens/tests.

A comparative study of different immunoassays to detect specific antibodies to Echinococcus spp. in human sera

Article Category: Research Article

Pubblicato online: 05 ago 2020

Pagine: 219 - 225

Ricevuto: 03 feb 2020

Accettato: 30 mar 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/helm-2020-0025

Parole chiaveEchinococcosis, ELISA, sensitivity, specificity

© 2020 M. Fecková, D. Antolová, K. Reiterová, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Correct seropositive reactions in patients with confirmed alveolar or cystic echinococcosis.

False positive reactions with sera of patients suffering from different parasitic/other infections and with control sera.

Sensitivity, specificity and Youden index of tested antigens/tests.

Parole chiave
Echinococcosis, ELISA, sensitivity, specificity