A new ImmunoCAP assay for detection of Echinococcus multilocularis-specific IgE

In alveolar echinococcosis (AE), caused by Echinococcus multilocularis (E.m .), increased levels of total and parasite-specific IgE are frequently foun d. These may not only have diagnostic but are also supposed to have prognos tic value in the follow-up of AE patients. However, there is no commercial test available for quantification of E, m.-specific IgE (sIgE). The only co mmercial test available is based on E. granulosus (g.) hydatid antigen, whi ch is not optimal for detection of E. m.-specific IgE. Therefore, a new Imm unoCAP with covalently bound crude antigen of E. m. was developed in cooper ation with Pharmacia Research Forum for the analysis of E. m. sIgE. The E. m. ImmunoCAP was evaluated in 53 AE patients with different clinical diseas e progression and 20 healthy controls. Our data showed a higher sensitivity for sIgE determination with E. in. ImmunoCAP compared to the E. g. ImmunoC AP (73.6% vs 61.5%) and a positive correlation between total IgE and sIgE. Furthermore, there was a significant correlation between sIgE in both tests . In conclusion, the new E. m.-specific ImmunoCAP test proved to be a valua ble tool for determination of sIgE. It may provide the basis for the develo pment of further E. multilocularis-specific IEE immunotests which are essen tial for evaluation of sIgE during clinical course of AE. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.