title: Diagnosis of cystic echinococcosis: ultrasound imaging or countercurrent immunoelectrophoresis?
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Islamic Republic of Iran.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Sadjjadi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ardehali
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Noman-Pour
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Izadpanah
mesh_terms: 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