The circumovat precipitin test as a control of cure in children with chronic schistosomiasis mansoni

Abstract

Seventy nine children in the 6-14 age group, with chronic schistosomiasis man- soni were selected for this stud,y. Sixty seven (850/o) with positive circumoval pre- cipitin test (COPT) were divided in two groups: 86 children (Group l) were treat_ ed with oxamniquine (20 mg/kg in a singre orar dose) and 31 children (Group 2) were given placebo under the same conditions. Follow-up was mantained for 1.0 months with monthly quantitative stool examinations and the absence of fecal eggs from the first month onwards was considered as a successful treatment. COPT was repeated on the tenth month. In Group L, 6gVo were cured. Group P showed no cures. rn the 28 Group I patients considered cured, copr was negative in20 (87%). Negative reactions were also found in BZo/o of the Group p children, after 10 months. These false negative reactions occurred in patients with a smaller stool egg count. The Authors conclude that copr shows a high positivity ratio in the diagnosis of chronic schistosomiasis mansoni, with negative reactions post cure in the majority of cases. However, a significant number of false negative results does rlot allow the isolated use of COPT in the control of cure of schistosomiasis mansoni.