Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay as a diagnostic method for schistosomiasis haematobium. Standardization and...

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed for the quantification of antibodies to Schistosoma haematobium in both human serum and urine samples. The serum ELISA was reproducible with coefficients of variation in intra-day tests and inter-day tests being 2.54-3.64% and 5.04-7.48%, respectively. The specificity of serum ELISA was 100% and its sensitivity was 97%. When the eggs recovered from patients' urine were used for antigen, there occurred non-specific reactions, which were markedly decreased by pepsin treatment of the eggs. In addition, urine could also be used for detecting egg-positive persons with a specificity of 91% and a sensitivity of 97%. However, under field conditions, the specificity of urine ELISA was 82% and its sensitivity was 92%.