title: [Clinical value of Echinococcus granulosus--specific immunoglobulin G antibody avidity in liver cystic echinococcosis].
abstract: Role of E. granulosus-specific IgG antibody avidity in evaluation of a natural history of the parasite cysts in the liver, duration of infection and immunogenic cysts activity was studied. Thirty-one patients with liver cysts suspected of echinococcosis were examined; E. granulosus infection was finally confirmed by a fine needle aspiration biopsy or surgery in 29 cases (93.5%) and two non-parasitic simple cysts in the liver were diagnosed. E. granulosus-specific IgG antibody was found in 21 patients (67.7%). High IgG avidity values were observed in 14 patients with liver cysts in a degeneration stage confirmed by imaging techniques. Low IgG avidity values were mostly detected in children with hypoechogenic echinococcal cysts being in a recent stage of infection. Determination of anti-E. granulosus immunoglobulin G antibody avidity is a very usefull diagnostic tool for a determination of parasitic cysts activity and their developmental age.
authors.affiliation: Klinika Chorób Pasozytniczych i Tropikalnych AM, 60-355 Poznań, ul. Przybyszewskiego 49.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stefaniak
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kacprzak
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Paul
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000032:analysis*; D000915:Antibody Affinity; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000379:methods; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D020420:Cyst Fluid / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology; D003560:Cysts / Q000276:immunology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004444:Echinococcosis, Hepatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D048209:Echinococcus granulosus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000909:Antibodies, Helminth