The fibre-web blood sampling technique applied to serological diagnosis ofschistosomiasis mansoni

The fibre-web technique for sampling, storing and transport of venous or ca pillary blood has been evaluated, in 84 schoolchildren from the Mwanza regi on of Tanzania, with regard to diagnostic efficacy for determination of the schistosome circulating anodic antigen (CAA) under conditions similar to t hose prevailing in the field. Although the average concentrations determine d in fibre-web eluates were only about half of those determined in serum, t he prevalences of CAA-positive individuals for the 2 sample materials were approximately the same. The average coefficient of variation calculated on determination of CAA in venous-blood fibre-web eluates amounted to 7%. The study shows that the fibre-web technique is well suited for use under field conditions.