Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38968318›Full record

ArticlePLoS neglected tropical diseases2024

Serological diagnosis of strongyloidiasis: An evaluation of three commercial assays.

Thomas Weitzel, Sabine Dittrich, Frank P Mockenhaupt, Andreas K Lindner

Abstract readEvaluation Study
In one paragraph

Article in PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Seroprevalence and Associated Factors of Anti-Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Thomas WeitzelCharité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of International Health, Charité Center for Global Health, Berlin, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-9804-2123
Sabine DittrichCharité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of International Health, Charité Center for Global Health, Berlin, Germany.
Frank P MockenhauptCharité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of International Health, Charité Center for Global Health, Berlin, Germany.
Andreas K LindnerCharité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of International Health, Charité Center for Global Health, Berlin, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundStrongyloidiasis is caused by a neglected nematode, manifesting as chronic intestinal infection with potentially severe manifestations. The disease is an emerging problem in non-endemic countries affecting travelers and migrants. Diagnosis of strongyloidiasis is hampered by the lack of standardization and absence of a gold standard. Since adequate direct methods to detect the motile larvae in stool samples are not widely available, other techniques such as serology have been developed.

methodsWe evaluated three commercial ELISA kits (DRG Instruments, IVD Research, and Bordier Affinity Products) to detect IgG antibodies against Strongyloides stercoralis assays utilizing serum samples from travelers with microscopically confirmed strongyloidiasis (n = 50) and other imported helminthic infections (n = 159) as well as healthy controls (n = 50).

resultsThe DRG, IVD, and Bordier assays showed sensitivities of 58.0%, 64.0%, and 56.0%, respectively. Specificity values were 96.0%, 96.0%, and 92.0% in healthy controls, and 67.3%, 62.9%, and 76.7% in cases with other helminth infections, respectively. Cross-reactions were mostly observed in cases with other nematodes (37.5%, 42.5%, and 20.0%, respectively), but also in trematode (33.3%, 38.1%, and 19.0%, respectively) and in cestode infections (25.0%, 30.0%, and 32.5%, respectively).

conclusionThe study demonstrates the diagnostic limitations of serological assays to detect or exclude cases of strongyloidiasis in returning travelers, who frequently present with recent or acute infections.

Indexed as

Antibodies, HelminthEnzyme-Linked Immunosorbent AssayImmunoglobulin GSensitivity and SpecificitySerologic TestsStrongyloides stercoralisStrongyloidiasisAdultAnimalsCross ReactionsFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedReagent Kits, DiagnosticAntibodies, HelminthImmunoglobulin GReagent Kits, Diagnostic

Identifiers

PMID38968318
PMCPMC11253981

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.