Seroprevalence of Echinococcus granulosus infection in a Uruguayan rural human population

Serological tests using hydatid cyst fluid (HCF) are useful as a primary screen for detecting asymptomatic infections due to Echinococcus granulosus in human populations. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) performed with whole sheep HCF was used to determine the prevalence of hydatid antibodies in a rural human population in Uruguay. In order to eliminate cross-reactions with sheep proteins in HCF, 1% normal sheep serum was added to each human serum before testing. ELISA seropositives were further tested using the double diffusion test (DD5) and confirmed where possible by ultrasound and X-ray examination. Serum samples were obtained from 420 individuals inhabiting rural areas in the Department of Paysandu (160), Rivera (21) and San José (239). An overall seroprevalence of 1.24% was obtained. Two of 17 seroreactors were subsequently proven to have hydatidosis. These results confirm and extend previous studies indicating an unusually high prevalence of E. granulosus infection in the Uruguayan population.