title: Evaluation of an enzyme immunoassay for clinical diagnosis of neurocysticercosis in symptomatic patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Neurocysticercosis is an infection of the human central nervous system caused by the metacestode larvae of Taenia solium. Neurocysticercosis is the most common parasitic disease in developing countries. Epilepsy is the most common clinical manifestation. Difficulties in confirming the diagnosis motivated the evaluation of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay on cerebral spinal fluid (CSF).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-two patients with NCC and 44 control patients were studied. CSF was analyzed using a commercial ELISA kit developed for NCC. Sensitivity and specificity were measured and a multivariate logistic regression was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sensitivity and specificity of ELISA were 31.8% and 100%, respectively, with accuracy of 77.3%. Only the size of the lesions proved to be important for performance of the test.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results showed that ELISA contributes to the diagnosis of neurocysticercosis if the result is negative or if the patient has a lesion of 2 cm or more.
authors.affiliation: Department of Specializing Medicine, Federal University of Piaui, Teresina, PI, Brazil. reynaldomendes@globo.com
authors.forename: Reynaldo Mendes de
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Carvalho Junior
authors.forename: Dorcas Lamounier
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Savyo Carvalho
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: Carlos Henrique Nery
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Costa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008587:Meningitis, Viral / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D020019:Neurocysticercosis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D041201:Taenia solium / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000909:Antibodies, Helminth