Quantitative assessment of serum-specific IgE in the diagnosis of human cystic echinococcosis.

Anti-Echinococcus serum immunoglobulin (Ig)E was assessed by the ImmunoCAP system and compared with anti-Echinococcus serum IgG assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot. The ImmunoCAP system revealed very high specificity (one false positive of 110 healthy individuals), low cross-reactivity (one false positive of 58 patients with other diseases) and decreased sensitivity (73.55%).

Characterisation of Trichinella isolates from Bulgaria by molecular typing and cross-breeding.

Trichinella spp. larvae were collected from domestic and wild-life animals in association with 15 human trichinellosis outbreaks registered between 1999-2002 in Bulgaria. Furthermore, Trichinella spp.

Echinococcus granulosus strain typing in Bulgaria: the G1 genotype is predominant in intermediate and definitive wild hosts.

Addressing the genetic variability in Echinococcus granulosus is epidemiologically important, as strain characteristics may influence the local transmission patterns of zoonotic cystic echinococcosis. To classify the genotype(s) present in intermediate (pig, cattle and sheep) and definitive (jackal and wolf) hosts in Bulgaria, a DNA-based approach was used to assess parasite protoscoleces or strobiles. Genes corresponding to coding and non-coding regions of the nuclear and mitochondrial genome ( ND-1, HBX, Act II, AgB-1) were amplified by PCR and subsequently sequenced.