Sensitivity and specificity of Indirect Enzyme Linked Immuno sorbent Assay (ELISA) for diagnosis of hydatidosis in dromedary camels using hydatid cyst fluid antigens.

Examination of 528 (450 males and 78 females) dromedary camels slaughtered at Cairo abattoir revealed that a total of (93) 17.6 % were infected with hydatidosis. Post mortem examination revealed that infection was restricted only in the lungs and the liver of infected camels. Among the 93 hydatidosis infected camels, lungs were the most frequently infected 88 (94.623%) compared with liver 5 (5.376%). ELISA test using partially crude antigen and purified antigen is important for the early diagnosis of cystic echinococcosis as most cases in the early stages of infection are asymptomatic. Sensitivity of ELISA using the crude antigen was 82.758% while sensitivity of the partially purified antigen was 79.310 %. On the other hand specificity of the crude antigen was estimated as 62.5 % and specificity of partially purified antigen as 75.0 %.