Immunochemiluminescence in the diagnosis of relapsing froms of echinococcosis

Aim. To improve immunologic diagnosis of relapsing and residual echinococcosis we used the novel chemiluminescent method based on registration of changes of biologic fluids emmision in normal and pathologic conditions.

Methods. We observed 136 patients with relapsing echinococcosis, 109 patients with primary echinococcosis and 91 patients with residual cavities after echinococcectomy. As a control we included 186 patients with other diseases such as hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, liver and lung cancer, cholecystitis and others having some clinical similarity with echinococcosis and requiring differential diagnosis, and also 30 donors were included. Besides, 111 people previously operated for echinococcosis (6 month to 10 years prior) were examined.

Results. In comparison of immunochemiluminescence with well-known serologic test this method demonstrated some benefits: short time to receiving the results, small amount of the blood necessary for the analysis (0.02 ml), high specificity and sensitivity. As the time period after the surgery increases, intensity of luminescence in immunochemiluminescence gradually decreases in case of no relapse and increases in relapse.

Conclusion. Immunochemiluminescence of the whole blood is a valuable diagnostic method; this method should be included to diagnostic workup for patients with suspected echinococcosis; immunochemiluminescence provides the opportunity to define pathology and radicality of performed surgery and to reveal the disease relapse.