Evaluation of enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) as a diagnostic tool for schistosomiasis

• Published in: Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Vol. 77; no. 1; p. 109
• Main Authors: Barakat, R M, El-Gassim, E E, Awadalla, H N, El-Molla, A, Omer, E A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 1983
• Subjects: Child; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Evaluation Studies as Topic; Feces - parasitology; Humans; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Parasite Egg Count; Schistosoma haematobium; Schistosoma mansoni; Schistosomiasis - diagnosis
• ISSN: 0035-9203
• DOI: 10.1016/0035-9203(83)90031-7

The sensitivity and specificity of the ELISA were assessed in the diagnosis of schistosomiasis in two groups of school children, one attending a rural school where schistosomiasis is highly prevalent, the other attending a school in an urban locality where schistosomiasis is absent. The results showed that the ELISA had a sensitivity of 92.2% and 100% in Schistosoma mansoni and mixed infection, respectively. The specificity of the test increased from 92.1% to 98% when a fourth stool examination was done in cases giving false positive results. ELISA positively was significantly increased with the increase in egg count till it reached 100% in cases with 160 eggs per gram stools.