Echinococcus infection
(Echinococcus granulosus, Echinococcus multilocularis)
Material: | Antibody demonstration: 2 ml serum (external services) Pathogen detection: if required liver cyst punctate |
Methods: |
Ligandenassays → Immunoblot Mikroskopie → Hellfeldmikroskopie Agglutinationsteste → Indirekte Hämagglutination Ligandenassays → Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) | Reference range | IHA (E. granulosus): 1:16 titer IgG (E. granulosus): < 6 MONA IgG (E. multilocularis): < 6 MONA Immunoblot: negative |
Indication | Suspicion of echinococcosis, suspicious liver cysts | Mandatory reporting | ja In accordance with §7 section 3 IfSG |
Please note | In southern countries, infection with E. granulosus through dogs (primary host: egg-containing feces). Caution with imported dogs from southern countries. In areas with E. multilocularis (Upper Bavaria, the Swabian Mountains, Northern Europe) there is an increased risk when eating wild berries (i.e. blueberries), vegetables, salad and others. Serological diagnostics can be helpful in the early stages of infection. In case of calcified cysts, a negative result does not rule out echinococcosis. A few days after surgical cyst removal, a check of all serological parameters is required. As an intraoperative washing out of echinococcus-antigens into the blood stream is possible, this may result in a marked titer increase (Booster effect). Due to this, only the postoperatively obtained serological results are suitable as an initial value for further serological follow-up checks (operation success), but not before 6 – 12 months. A microscopic test for Echinococcus-larvae from puncture specimen is generally possible (Caution! Pathogen-spread during puncture), however microscopy does not allow differentiation between E. granulosus and E. multilocularis. Forwarding to a consultant laboratory for species differentiation via PCR has to be especially requested. Further information can be found here: www.rki.dewww.echinococcus.de |
External services | ja MVZ Diamedis Diagnostische Medizin Sennestadt |