Significance of hydatid immunodiagnostic surveys to health care and estimation of prevalence in the Argentine Province of Chubut.

More hydatidosis cases were detected in an immunodiagnostic survey of rural schoolchildren from an endemic area in Argentina by the arc 5 double diffusion (DD5) test than by indirect hemagglutination (IHA) and latex agglutination (LA) tests. Evidence of infection was obtained by clinical, radiologic, echographic, and/or computerized axial tomography examinations in only one of three DD5-negative individuals, and in 2 of 4 students showing a questionable reaction of identity with arc 5 in DD5, who were positive in LA and/or IHA. In contrast, cysts could be demonstrated in all DD5-positive cases, whether positive or negative in the agglutination procedures. These cysts in DD5-positive cases included the smallest cysts (1-1.2 cm wide) detected in surveys to date. Comparison of data obtained in the immunodiagnostic survey and in a review of hospital records was used to assess the relative contribution of each method in estimating the prevalence of infection. The findings are discussed in terms of the advantages and limitations of carrying out immunodiagnostic surveys of residents of endemic areas for purposes of primary medical care and surveillance.