Serological survey of hydatid disease in Pondicherry, India.

A serological survey was carried out to determine the frequency of distribution of hydatid antibodies in Pondicherry during 1981 to 1984. 1325 apparently normal sera and 109 sera from clinically suspected hydatid disease cases were screened by the indirect haemagglutination (IHA) test. Results showed a diagnostic titre of 1:128 or higher in 6 normal sera and 27 sera of suspected hydatid cases. An antibody titre of 1:64 was observed in 8.17 per cent of the sera screened by this test.