The schistosomal complement-fixation test: Part II. Value as a test of cure

Abstract

1. 1) The clinical aspects of the use of the schistosomal C.F.T. in the follow-up of treated patients were studied. The test may remain positive for many months in patients judged to be cured on the absence of live ova at follow-up. Where the test does become negative the time of its reversion may be much delayed and even when the reversion occurs it cannot, on the evidence at present available, always be confidently ascribed to radical cure. 2. 2) In cases where previous treatment had not prevented the subsequent demonstration of live ova no increased incidence of negative C.F.T. results was apparent. 3. 3) Immediately after 30 grains of sodium antimony tartrate had been administered a positive C.F.T. appeared in a small group of cases where it had been negative before treatment. In some of these it became negative again within 6 months of treatment but in one case it is still positive 5 years after treatment. In another small group of proved cases with a negative C.F.T. some positive and some negative results were found 1–3 years after the same treatment. In a third group of negative cases that were given only 20 grains of sodium antimony tartrate no C.F.T. changes were found. In all these cases there was no risk of reinfection after treatment and no live ova were found at follow-up. Hypotheses which might explain these findings were discussed.