Clinical evaluation of a complement fixation test using human hydatid cyst fluid antigen for the detection of Echinococcus granulosus antibody

Complement fixation (CF) is a commonly used serodiagnostic test for hydatid disease, especially recommended for the evaluation of cure after surgery or for checking on treatment with antihelminthic drugs (9). However, the absence of an FDA-approved standardized antigen makes it difficult to assess the performance of different CF tests by using published studies. The objectives of this study were to determine sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value and positive predictive value of a CF test using human hydatid cyst fluid as antigen and to evaluate the value of this test presently used at the Mayo Clinic in following the progress of treatment.