Kinetics of specific IgM in patients of hepatic amoebiasis

Entamoeba histolytica (EH) specific IgM was measured in 54 patients with diagnosed amoebic liver abscess (ALA), 13 with non-suppurative hepatic amoebiasis (NSHA) and 50 controls. The mean levels of EH specific IgM, estimated by ELISA were significantly raised in patients of invasive amoebiasis (both ALA and NSHA) compared to controls (P less than 0.05). EH specific IgG was also raised in both groups of patients. Follow up of patients with ALA showed a significant decline (P less than 0.05) in the specific IgM levels three months after treatment while the specific IgG antibodies persisted in high titres (1:160). Only four patients of NSHA could be followed up and all showed a decline in specific IgM levels. Raised specific serum IgM seems to be an indicator of active (invasive) amoebiasis.