[Immune complex monitoring in Echinococcus infections]

In two patients with hepatic echinococcosis, we studied the in vivo interaction between circulating immune complexes and polymorphonuclear neutrophil surface receptors according to our previously described technique and quantitated the amount of circulating immune complexes by the C1q binding assay. Both tests were positive prior to surgical removal of the cysts, to gradually become negative to weeks later, and are persistently negative at two months after complete asportation. The application of the two tests may be of value in assessing surgical radicality and consequently the prompt disappearance of circulating parasite antigens. In particular, failure of these two tests two turn negative or the occurrence of further, new positivities may suggest either uncomplete eradication of the cyst or reinfection. These immunologic techniques appear to provide a better monitoring of echinococcosis than all the other well-known immunological tests which detect specific immunoglobulins present in serum for a long time and therefore unable to indicate the persistence or the new appearance of the parasite antigens.