Diagnosis of human trichinellosis : pitfalls in the use of a unique immunoserological technique

Serum samples belonging to three outbreaks in Argentina (47 patients) taken at different times post-ingestion were analysed employing IIF and ELISA simultaneously. Results show that : a) the number of patients diagnosed by a unique technique, especially by ELISA (31 patients), was lower than the one obtained by the simultaneous use of both assays (38 patients); b) four patients out of the seven diagnosed by a unique technique were negative by the other assay over the period of time evaluated. Therefore, It can be concluded that the use of a sole immunoserological technique can not only lead to the delay in the detection but also to the misdiagnosis of this parasitic Infection

Diagnosis of human trichinellosis : pitfalls in the use of a unique immunoserological technique

Serum samples belonging to three outbreaks in Argentina (47 patients) taken at different times post-ingestion were analysed employing IIF and ELISA simultaneously. Results show that : a) the number of patients diagnosed by a unique technique, especially by ELISA (31 patients), was lower than the one obtained by the simultaneous use of both assays (38 patients); b) four patients out of the seven diagnosed by a unique technique were negative by the other assay over the period of time evaluated. Therefore, It can be concluded that the use of a sole immunoserological technique can not only lead to the delay in the detection but also to the misdiagnosis of this parasitic Infection

Ausência de Trichinella spiralis em suínos adultos abatidos em Palmas, Estado do Paraná, Brasil Absence of Trichinella spiralis in adult swines slaughtered in Palmas, Paraná, Brazil

Foram examinadas amostras de 3.774 suínos adultos, abatidos sob inspeção federal entre os anos de 2002 e 2004 na cidade de Palmas, Estado do Paraná, Brasil, utilizando-se a técnica da digestão artificial de amostras coletivas com agitador magnético para pesquisa de larvas de Trichinella spiralis. Os animais eram provenientes de 68 municípios dos três estados da região Sul do Brasil. A técnica utilizada seguiu as recomendações européias e as amostras examinadas consistiam de fragmentos musculares do masseter, base da língua e diafragma de cada animal. Não foram detectadas larvas do parasita nos animais examinados, sugerindo que a infecção por T. spiralis não ocorre nas criações de suínos examinadas.<br>Samples of 3.774 adult pigs, slaughtered under federal inspection between the years of 2002 and 2004 in the county of Palmas, State of Paraná, Brazil, were examined by pooled sample artificial digestion with magnetic stirrer for a survey of Trichinella spiralis larvae. Animals proceeded from 68 counties of the three states of the South region of Brazil. The employed essay was the recommended by the European commission. The samples were formed by muscular pieces of masseter, tongue and diaphragm of each animal. No larvae were detected in the animals, indicating that T. spiralis infection does not occur in the examined swine stocks