ADVANTAGES OF ENZYME IMMONOASSAY IN DIAGNOSING LAMBLIOSIS OF POPULATION WITHIN SANITARY SUPERVISION

Preventive, legally prescribed medical examinations of the population under sanitary supervision, with the aim of diagnosing asymptomatic lambliasis, include the application of conventional microscopic examination (CVM) with concentration technique (CT)of one stool sample. The aim of the paper was to compare the results obtained by the enzyme imnunoassay (EIA) for detection of Giardia lamblia (G. lamblia) antigen in stool, with the results of the investigation of asymptomatic lambliasis by CVM with CT in routine laboratory procedure. The investigation included 279 healthy subjects under sanitary control. One stool samples of investigated subjects were analyzed by using CVM with CT and by EIA for detection of Giardia lamblia (G. lamblia) antigen in stool. Positive result was found in one sample by CVM with CT (1/279; 0,36%). Using EIA method, two positive subjects with asymptomatic lambliasis were detected (2/279; 0,72%). Having applied EIA, a higher prevalence of this parasitosis within the investigate group was proved. EIA method for detection of the presence/absence of antigen for G. lamblia in stool is a method of choice in the laboratory procedures where one stool sample is used to investigate this parasitosis.