[Diagnosis of human cysticercosis with ELISA]

An analysis of immunodiagnostic data for human cysticercosis by ELISA in 1,052 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum samples obtained directly from patients or their physicians from different hospitals during 1989-1991, as a result of the diagnostic support service that has been offered to the medical community since 1976, was performed. Overall positivity was 18 per cent. This value was slightly lower when only CSF was analysed (14%) and lowest in the case of serum samples (4%). Analysis of the CSF positivity in ELISA with respect to imaging findings yielded a predictive value of 93 per cent while in cases of excision of cysticerci by neurosurgery 67 per cent sensitivity was obtained. The high positive predictive value, the specificity and the sensitivity of ELISA indicate that this assay is useful to confirm the imaging diagnosis of neurocysticercosis when CSF is used or it can be used as a diagnostic alternative when imaging studies are not available.