Epidemiological studies on the animal reservoir of gambiense sleeping sickness. Part II. Parasitological and immunodiagnostic examination of the human population
Felgner, P.; Brinkmann, U.; Zillmann, U.; Mehlitz, D.; Abu-Ishira, S.
Tropenmedizin und Parasitologie 32(3): 134-140
1981
ISSN/ISBN: 0303-4208 PMID: 6285560 Document Number: 174813
In the Banfora and Gaoua area of Upper Volta , 1572 persons were examined parasitologically and no cases of trypanosomiasis were found. In the Vavoua and Bouafle area of Ivory Coast 1830 persons were examined; 62 new cases (and 53 old cases) of trypanosomiasis were discovered. 15 of the new patients showed advanced neurological symptoms and 18 showed no symptoms except enlarged cervical lymph nodes. 30 strains were isolated by inoculation into Mastomys. The proportion of specific antibody carriers obtained by ELISA in the 2 areas, 10% and 26% respectively, was compared to that obtained for raised IgM levels. False negative diagnoses resulted in 24% with ELISA, and 12% with indirect immunofluorescence (IFT) and in 19% with radial immunodiffusion. When IFT and IgM results were taken together the false negative results fell to 8%.