A correlative study of ultrasound with serology in an area in China co-endemic for human alveolar and cystic echinococcosis

International audience; We correlated ultrasound (US) imaging classifications for human alveolar echinococcosis (AE) and cystic echinococcosis (CE) with serology (ELISA and immunoblotting (IB) incorporating native and recombinant/purified echinococcal antigens) in community surveys (2001-2003) and follow-up (2002 and 2003) of US-confirmed cases in Ningxia, China. One hundred and seventy-one cases (96 with AE, 75 with CE) were identified; of these, US classification and serological data were obtained for 142 and 112 cases, respectively. Seropositive-rates increased in CE patients with highly viable unilocular cyst lesions (Types CL, CE 1 or CE 2) to degenerating primary lesions (CE 3), but then decreased in subjects with inactive (CE 4) or dead (CE 5) cysts. In contrast, there was a constant increase in seropositivity from the early (P1, P2) to the advanced stages (P3, P4) with AE cases. For US-confirmed cases, follow-up by US combined with serology is invaluable for studying the clinical progression of echinococcosis and for detecting recurrent cysts or reinfection post-treatment.