IgM and IgG cystatin capture enzyme linked immunosorbent assays: a tool for serodiagnosis and assessment of cure of acute fascioliasis after triclabendazole (TCZ; Fasinex) therapy.

This study included 71 individuals: 25 patients with confirmed acute fascioliasis, 9 patients with suspected fascioliasis, 27 patients with parasitic infections other than fascioliasis and 10 normal controls. Patients with fascioliasis were treated with TCZ as a single dose and followed up 1 and 4 months after therapy. The results showed that both IgM and IgG cystatin capture ELISAs had very high sensitivity and specificity of 100%. They were also able to diagnose early fascioliasis even before indirect haemagglutination test (IHAT) became positive. Within 4 months after treatment, only 20 patients (80%) with fascioliasis were cured as evidenced clinically, by normal eosinophil count and negative IHAT. After the first month of treatment, IgM and IgG cystatin capture ELISAs became negative in 16.6% and 83.3% of the cured cases respectively, reaching 95% for both assays after 4 months. They remained positive in 5 cases (20%) not responding to treatment.