Dot-ELISA as a diagnostic test in hydatid disease.

Detection of circulating echinococcal antigens and antibodies were tried in 18 patients with hydatid disease and 32 healthy blood donors as controls using dot-ELISA. Hydatid cyst fluid antigen and anti-echinococcal hyperimmune rabbit sera were used for the detection of antibodies and antigens respectively. The results proved that this test is sensitive (88.9%), specific (96.9%) and rapid for detecting echinococcal antibodies. On the other hand, circulating antigens could be detected with 55.6% sensitivity. This low sensitivity was attributed to the small amounts of circulating antigens and/or immune complexes formation.