title: [Value of immunology in the diagnosis of cutaneous onchocerciasis].
abstract: In a study of 135 cases, the authors present the dermatologic lesions occasioned by onchocercosis, study and discuss the value of the following three diagnostic procedures: the skin Snip technic, the Mazzotti test, and indirect fluorescent antibody test as used in a region of Africa where onchocercosis is, with dipetalonemosis, the principal filariasis. The skin Snip showed positive in only 11,8% of cases while each of the other technics permitted diagnosis of more than 80% of cases studied. Use of the Mazzotti test in conjunction with indirect fluorescent antibody test proved the origin of dermatologic lesions to be onchocercotic in 100% of the study group while both tests remained negative for subjects in the control group. The authors conclude that, in individual practice the 3 tests should be used conjointly, while, for purposes of mass screening, the determination of fluorescent antibodies must be performed as an adjunct to clinical examination and skin Snip.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004804:Eosinophils; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D009855:Onchocerciasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D012876:Skin Diseases, Parasitic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology
vernacular_title: Intérêt de l'immunologie dans le diagnostic de l'onchocercose cutanée.