Long-term seropositivity against Echinococcus multilocularis in an epidemiological follow-up study in southwestern Germany (Römerstein).
BACKGROUND
Out of 2,560 participants in an epidemiological survey of alveolar echinococcosis (AE) performed in 1996 in southwestern Germany, 47 participants had tested seropositive in one of two crude antigen screening ELISAs and were inconspicuous on hepatic ultrasound.


METHODS
Out of these 47 seroreactors, 36 attended a follow-up examination 30 months after the primary examination, including ultrasound and serology with various Echinococcus multilocularis-specific antigens.


RESULTS
No lesion suspicious for AE was detected in any participant. Serology showed only minor changes as compared to the earlier results.


CONCLUSIONS
Persistent seropositivity without detectable hepatic lesions could be interpreted as an early sign of sonographically not yet detectable AE, immunity to E. multilocularis or unspecific serological reactivity. For seropositive and clinically inconspicuous inhabitants of areas endemic for AE follow-up examinations at intervals of 2-3 years seem to be adequate.
Jensen
B
B
Dept. of Infectious Disease and Clinical Immunology, University Hospital Ulm, Germany.
Reuter
S
S
Kratzer
W
W
Naser
K
K
Kächele
V
V
Kimmig
P
P
Kern
P
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004443:Echinococcosis / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D004446:Echinococcus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography
D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; C115843:Em6 protein, Echinococcus multilocularis; D015801:Helminth Proteins