[Kinetics of the antibody level in schistosomiasis under chemotherapy]

The antibody level (ELISA) in schistosomiasis much increased one month after therapy. The sanation of the parasitosis within 6 months led to the reduction of the values to the initial level without any further later decrease. The antibody kinetics was the same after successful Niridazol and Praziquantel treatment. When Niridazol failed a second treatment with Praziquantel led to a repeated significant increase. The decrease after the second peak was much steeper and obtained the initial level already 3 months after sanation. Patients with falsely negative ELISA before the treatment reacted partly positive one month after this. One third of all patients examined reacted negatively also at this time. Falsely positive findings in patients from endemic areas (specificity 0.74) seem to be no cross reaction to another affection with helminths, but seem to be traced back to an earlier inapparent schistosomiasis.