[The comparative evaluation of Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), Indirect Hemagglutination Test (IHA) and Indirect Fluorescent Antibody Test (IFAT) in the diagnosis of cystic echinococcosis].

The most frequently used methods for the diagnosis of cystic echinococcosis are ELISA, IHA and IFAT methods in routine laboratories. The aim of this study was to detect the optimum serological method which can be used routinely with the highest sensitivity and specificity. Forty CE cases with 40 controls, making a total of 80 patients, were included in the study. In 80 sera specimens, specific antibody response to metacestodes was investigated using ELISA, IHA and IFAT methods. The antibody response in CE cases was found to be 35 (87.5%), with ELISA, 33 (82.5%) with IFAT and 36 (90.0%) with IHA. The sensitivity-specificity of ELISA, IFAT, and IHA were 87.5%-100%, 82.5%-100% and 90.0%-97.5%, respectively. A cross reaction of a 1/160 titer was detected with the IHA method in one patient with taeniasis in the control group. In conclusion, using more than one serologic method seems to increase the sensitivity and specifity of the serologic diagnosis of CE.