Diagnosis of cystic echinococcosis: ultrasound imaging or countercurrent immunoelectrophoresis?
Cystic echinococcosis is a major zoonotic diseases in the Islamic Republic of Iran. This study was carried out in 3 general hospitals in Shiraz. We examined the records of all 1227 surgical patients with a surgically-proven diagnosis of cystic echinococcosis for the 20-year period 1978-98. The results of countercurrent immunoelectrophoresis were compared with pathology and ultrasound reports to determine whether serological tests could be helpful for diagnosis. Countercurrent immunoelectrophoresis could detect only 62.0% of cases, whereas the pathology and ultrasound results were positive for 96.3% of cases. This study confirms the usefulness of ultrasound and suggests that only in doubtful cases would countercurrent immunoelectrophoresis be useful for diagnosing cystic echinococcosis.
Sadjjadi
S M
SM
Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Islamic Republic of Iran.
Ardehali
S
S
Noman-Pour
B
B
Kumar
V
V
Izadpanah
A
A
D001706:Biopsy / Q000592:standards; D003378:Counterimmunoelectrophoresis / Q000592:standards*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D016002:Discriminant Analysis; D004443:Echinococcosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D018579:Patient Selection; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000592:standards*; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000453:epidemiology