Importance of E. histolytica antigen in serodiagnosis and follow up of patients with amoebic liver abscess.

This study is composed of a community based study and a hospital based study. The community based study was conducted on 200 apparently healthy individuals randomly chosen from rural areas. They were examined clinically, sonographically and parasitologically for E. histolytica cysts and by ELISA for circulating amoebic antigen. They were negative for antigenaemia at 1/16 which was considered the diagnostic titre of amoebic hepatitis. The hospital based study was carried out on 27 patients suffering from amoebic liver abscess (ALA). Circulating amoebic antigen was detected in 66.66% of them before treatment which decreased to 14.82% two months after treatment. There was no significant association between the diameter of the abscess and the level of circulating amoebic antigen. It was concluded that the circulating amoebic antigen may be useful for the diagnosis and follow up of amoebic liver abscess patients.