title: Immunofluorescence assay for diagnosis of strongyloidiasis in immunocompromised patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Strongyloides stercoralis is a parasite that causes human strongyloidiasis. The disease ranges from asymptomatic to severe forms, which are often fatal in immunocompromised individuals. Laboratory diagnosis is challenging owing to limitations in the use of conventional parasitological techniques. The present study aimed to evaluate the indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) using infective larvae of S. venezuelensis as an antigen for the immunodiagnosis of human strongyloidiasis in immunocompromised patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum and stool samples from 200 immunocompromised patients (HIV-positive, HTLV-1-positive, and renal, liver, and/or bone marrow transplantation candidates) were used. Stool samples were examined using three parasitological methods: Lutz, Rugai, and culture agar plate. IFA was performed using sections of infective larvae of S. venezuelensis as antigens, and showed 95.4% sensitivity and 95.8% and specificity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 200 patients, 17 (8.5%) were positive for S. stercoralis by at least one parasitological method, and 43 (21.5%) were positive by IFA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IFA can be used as a screening method for the detection of S. stercoralis in immunocompromised patients.
authors.affiliation: From the Laboratório de Investigação Médica (LIM-06), Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo.
authors.forename: Maiara
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gottardi
authors.forename: Fabiana M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Paula
authors.forename: Marcelo A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Corral
authors.forename: Dirce Mary C
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Meisel
authors.forename: Silvia F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Edson
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Abdala
authors.forename: Ligia C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Pierrotti
authors.forename: Juliana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yamashiro
authors.forename: Pedro Paulo
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Chieffi
authors.forename: Ronaldo Cesar B
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Gryschek
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002648:Child; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology*; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique / Q000379:methods*; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D007814:Larva; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017171:Strongyloides stercoralis / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D013322:Strongyloidiasis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000947:Antigens, Helminth
keywords: Strongyloides stercoralis; immunodiagnosis; immunosuppression; indirect immunofluorescence antibody