Immunoblot diagnostic test for neurognathostomiasis

Neurognathostomiasis is a rare but severe form of human gnathostomiasis. Diagnosis of neurognathostomiasis is made presumably by using clinical manifestations. Serologic tests for neurognathostomiasis are not widely available and limited. We studied 12 patients with diagnoses of neurognathostomiasis at Srinagarind Hospital, Khon Kaen University, Thailand. There were three types of neurognathostomiasis (five patients with intracerebral hemorrhage, one patient with subarachnoid hemorrhage, and six patients with myelitis). All patients were tested for antibodies against Gnathostoma spinigerum by an immunoblotting technique. The sensitivity and specificity of the 21-kD and 24-kD diagnostic bands were 83.3% and 100%, and 91.7% and 100%, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for the 21-kD and 24-kD diagnostic bands were all 100%. Both diagnostic bands are a helpful diagnostic tool for neuro gnathostomiasis and show good diagnostic properties.