Evaluation of purified antigens in haemagglutination test (IHA) for determination of cross reactivities in diagnosis of fascioliasis and schistosomiasis.

Indirect haemagglutination test (IHA) commercially available kits (Fumouze) for diagnosis of fascioliasis and schistosomiasis were evaluated for cross reactivity. Sera of 85 selected schistosomiasis patients (Group I) were tested for schistosomiasis titers employing purified Schistosomiasis mansoni egg antigen. Sensitivity of the test was 75.3%. Positive sera (Group II: 64 sera) were retested using kits for fascioliasis employing purified adult Fasciola hepatica antigen to detect any cross reactions. Specificity was 96.9%. In addition, thirty eight (38) sera of selected fascioliasis cases (Group III) were retested using IHA kits for schistosomiasis. Specificity was 94.7%. It was found that IHA employing purified specific antigens both for schistosomiasis and fascioliasis gives good specificities and helps to avoid cross reactions between the two serious endemic trematode infections offering reliable diagnosis.