Stool examination using modified Kat thick smear method was performed to detect Fasciola eggs and other parasites. Fortyfive patients were proved to have Fasciola infection by passing
eggs in their stool samples. Pallor was the major presenting symptom (95.5%) followed by abdominal pain (93.3%) and fever (15.5%). Hepatomegaly was recorded in 86.6% of patients
compared to 33.3% with splenomegaly. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed hepatomegaly in 38 cases (84.4%) and
common bile duct dilatation in 35 patients (77.7%). Moreover, 4 cases showed Olympic game rings which are diagnostic. All of patients had positive IgG4 levels, 40 cases were found positives
for specific total IgG and 42 cases for IgGl, whereas, only 30 cases had positive IgG2 levels (66.6%). Dot-ELISA showed that gG2 and Ig04 jiving the highest specificity (>99%), followed by
IgG I (90%) and the least specific test was obtained with detection of IgG (85%). From the present work, it was concluded that detection of anti-Fasciola isotypes especially IgG4 is very specific
for accurate diagnosis of fascioliasis. |
