A sero-epidemiological study of onchocerciasis with the indirect hemagglutination test.

A sero-epidemiological study of onchocerciasis was carried out with the IHA test in Guatemala. In the endemic area, 94.8% of 191 subjects with microfilariae, 82.1% of 172 cases with onchocercal nodules, and 22.5% of 236 cases without either microfilariae or nodules gave positive reactions in the IHA test. On the other hand, the positive rate was 3.4% and 2.0% in each of 2 nonendemic populations. A follow-up study of reactors in the IHA with neither microfilariae nor nodules showed that 11 (42%) of 26 cases were microfilaria positive 6--7 mo after the first examination. A clear correlation was found between the results of the IHA test and skin biopsy in surveyed communities. The age distribution curve of the IHA test was closely associated with skin biopsy although the former was higher. IHA titers rose in proportion to microfilarial density. A sex-related difference was evident in the IHA positive rate in the subjects from medium and low endemic areas, but little difference was shown in individuals from a higher endemic area.