Detection of circulating antigen in amoebic liver abscess by counter-current immunoelectrophoresis

Fifty serum samples from patients with amoebic liver abscess and 50 from subjects who had not suffered from the disease (25 from patients with other, chiefly parasitic, infections and 25 from healthy blood donors, staff or students) were tested for circulating amoebic antigen by counter-current immuno-electrophoresis (CIEP). Amoebic antigen was detected in 38 sera (76%) from cases of amoebic liver abscess, but in none of the other sera. Although CIEP is only moderately sensitive, the high specificity suggests that this simple test may be useful in the diagnosis of amoebic liver abscess.