ABSTRACT
Hydatidosis is one of the most important helminthic diseases causing serious health and economic problems in many countries including Iran. Currently available diagnostic approaches for diagnosis of cystic echinococcosis [CE] are not satisfactory since they have not achieved a reasonable validity in diagnosis of CE. This study aimed to assess the performances of Western blotting [WB], using native antigen B, for serological diagnosis of human hydatidosis. Antigen B was prepared from sheep hydatid cyst fluid. Serum samples obtained from 40 surgically proven cases of hydatidosis along with serum samples from non-hydatidosis patients and samples from healthy persons were tested by immunoblotting, using native antigen B. From 40 sera of hydatidosis patients, 32 cases [80%] detected 8 kDa subunit, 29 cases [72.5%] recognized the 16 kDa component and 29 cases [72.5%] detected 24 kDa subunit of antigen B. The highest sensitivity [80%] was achieved with 8 kDa subunit of antigen B while the other components [16 and 24 kDa] showed a lower sensitivity [72.5%]. Samples from healthy controls and non-hydatidosis patients did not yield any detectable band in the Western blotting assay. Accordingly, specificity of the system was found to be 100%. Considering the use of native antigen B, application of western blotting, based on 8 kDa subunit of antigen B, is highly recommended for the confirmatory diagnosis of hydatidosis