[Human basophil degranulation test and double diffusion in pulmonary hydatidosis].

A slide human basophil degranulation test (HBDT) and a double-diffusion test were done in 37 patients with suspected pulmonary hydatid disease. Among the 31 patients in whom a diagnosis was firmly established, 22 had a pulmonary hydatid cyst and 9 did not (controls). The HBDT was at least 35% in 17 of the 22 patients with hydatid disease; 16 of these exhibited a precipitation arc. Among the 9 controls, none had a HBDT above 30% and three had a precipitation arc. In this localization of hydatid disease, compared to the double-diffusion technique, the HBDT has similar sensitivity (0.77 versus 0.73 but higher specificity (1 versus 0.67).