Immunodiagnosis of schistosomiasis outside endemic areas: use of histamine release from basophils by schistosomal antigens and radioallergosorbent test.

Specific allergic histamine release from leucocytes, radioallergosorbent tests (RAST) and indirect fluorescent antibody tests (IFAT) were applied for immunodiagnosis of schistosomiasis in patients outside endemic area. Of 10 parasitologically verified cases--all of them exhibiting a low and irregular egg output--8 were detected by histamine release, whereas 4 patient with filariasis, 3 with trichuriasis and 31 parasitologically normal controls were negative in this respect. By a combination of the histamine release test, RAST and IFAT all 10 cases were diagnosed. RAST and IFAT applied to 29 patients with active or treated schistosomiasis were positive in 14 (48%) and 20 (69%) cases, respectively.