The Echinococcus Western Blot
IgG (LDBIO Diagnostics, Lyon, France), using a whole larval
antigen from Echinococcus multilocularis, was evaluated for serodiagnosis and differentiation between two human
parasitic infections of worldwide importance:
cystic echinococcosis, due to Echinococcus granulosus, and
alveolar echinococcosis, due to E. multilocularis. Fifty and 61 serum samples from patients with cystic and
alveolar echinococcosis, respectively, were used for assessing diagnostic sensitivity. The sensitivity of the assay was compared with those of screening tests used for these applications. Sera used for assessing cross-reactivities were from 154 patients with other diseases, either parasitic or not. The assay allowed the detection of serum
immunoglobulin G antibodies in 97% of Echinococcus-infected patients. It had a higher sensitivity than screening assays for the detection for each
echinococcosis. The assay allowed us to correctly distinguish between E. granulosus- and E. multilocularis-infected patients in 76% of cases. It did not allow us to distinguish active from inactive forms of both
echinococcoses. The occurrence of cross-reactivities with
neurocysticercosis indicates the necessity for retesting sera with species-specific
antigens, for rare patients with
neurologic disorders. This study shows the usefulness of the commercially available Echinococcus Western Blot
IgG for the serological confirmation of human
echinococcosis.