Diagnosis of cystic echinococcosis: ultrasound imaging or countercurrent immunoelectrophoresis?

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.