Evaluation of schisto-fast test in diagnosis of schistosomiasis

We conducted a prospective study to evaluate the Schisto-fast test as rapid method for diagnosis of active Schistosomiasis. Fifty patients with active Schistosomiasis were diagnosed by detecting Schistosomal eggs in stool, urine and rectal snips, fourteen persons infected with helminthes other than Schistosomiasis[to detect cross-reaction], and eighteen persons as a control group were included in the present study. Schisto-fast test and ELISA for detection of circulating antigen were done before and after anti-bilharzial therapy. The present study showed that Dot- ELISA test was positive in 100% and 68% in patients before and after anti-bilharzial treatment respectively, while ELISA test was positive in 96% and 16% in patients before and after treatment respectively. Also it was found that Dot- ELISA test was positive in 10/18 [55.6%] in normal control, and 57.14% [8/14] of infected control with other helminthes; while ELISA test was negative in normal control and positive in 14.29% [2/14] of the infected controls. It is our conclusion that the Dot- ELlSA test is not a reliable for diagnosis of Schistosomiasis, and ELlSA test can be used in detecting circulating Schistosomal antigen

Diagnosis of congenital cerebral toxoplasmosis by detection of low avidity specific IGG antibodies in cerebrospinal fluid

To assess the role of congenital toxoplasmosis as a causative agent of the CNS disorders in human off springs, 105 newborns, infants, preschool and school children with these disorders were observed. They consisted of three groups. The first were 24 newborns and infants to mothers seroconverted during pregnancy, the second; 39 newborns and infants whose immunocompromised mothers were Toxoplasma chronically infected before pregnancy, the third, 42 children who were clinically free at birth but presented with CNS disorders 4-9 years later; their mothers were with chronic Toxoplasma seropositivity at the time of the survey. Anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies were sought in the sera of mothers and sera and CSF of the off springs. Specific intrathecal IgG antibody production was estimated by calculating Goldman Witmer Coefficient [C] and by calculating the CSF to serum antibody avidity ratio [AR] exploiting an ELISA that included dissociation of antigen-antibody complexes with 6 Mure a solution. C value > 8 and AR value < 0.5 were detected in 5 [20.8%] members of the first group, 3 [7.6%] of the second and 4 [9.5%] of the third. These values corresponded with the response to specific therapy. The antibody avidity in the diagnosed newborn sera [