Evaluation of excretory/secretory Fasciola (Fhes) antigen in diagnosis of human fascioliasis.

No doubt, human fascioliasis is an increasing worldwide zoonotic liver fluke. Clinically, human fascioliasis has to be differentially diagnosed from many hepatic diseases as acute & chronic hepatitis, schistosomiasis mansoni, visceral toxocariasis, visceral leishmaniasis, hepatic amoebiasis, biliary tract diseases and others. The parasitological diagnosis based on the demonstration of the eggs in stool, duodenal contents or bile is usually unsatisfactory due to false passage of eggs, ectopic fascioliasis, and failure of immature worm to maturation. So, ELISA-Fhes antigen (Fasciola hepatica excretory/secretory) and IHAT were evaluated in the immunodiagnosis of parasitologically proven cases of human fascioliasis compared with proven cases of human schistosomiasis mansoni and parasite-free individuals. ELISA-Fhes gave 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity. On the other hand, IHAT was less sensitive and less specific.