Evaluation of two serological tests in diagnosis of human cases of biliary and ectopic fascioliasis.

In the present study, sera were examined using Fasciola-IHA, F-ELISA and Schistosoma-IHA. The sero-positive schistosomal patients were subjected to rectal snip, while the sero-positive fascioliasis ones were examined radiologically by plain chest X-ray and abdominal ultrasonography. Both F-IHA and F-ELISA gave 100% sensitivity. The specificity of both testes were 90.4% and 100% respectively. With the S-IHA, the parasitologically proven schistosomal mansoni patients gave 95% positivity, while the proven fascioliasis patients gave false positive (8%) with this S-IHA. The radiological findings of the fascioliasis patients confirmed ectopic pleuro-pulmonary infection in five patients. Ascitis was detected in one patient, the pleural effusion and ascitic fluids showed high eosinophils. However, Fasciola eggs were detected in three patients only. Two patients showed hepatic nodules, and another two had hepatic cystic lesions. Three patients had immature Fasciola worms in gall bladder. For diagnosis of human fascioliasis, serological and radiological means should be done side by side with the stool examination. This is particularly true in chronic cases and in schistosomiasis mansoni endemic areas.