Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a major public health problem with a worldwide distribution in both humans and animals. Diagnosis of this disease by simple and rapid immunoassays is a priority. The objective of the present study was to standardize and evaluate the latex agglutination test (LAT) as a simple test for the detection of circulating hydatid antigen in serum. The subjects in this study included 141 patients in the following groups: surgically confirmed CE cases (18), ultrasound-proven cases (26), presumptive CE cases (47), controls with other parasitic disease (25), and healthy controls (25). A polystyrene latex (0.81 m) suspension was used as a carrier particle for hydatid antibodies in the test. The latex particles were sensitized with hyperimmune hydatid antiserum raised in rabbits. The hydatid antibodysensitized latex particles were used for the detection of hydatid antigens in serum. The results of the study showed that the LAT could detect the circulating hydatid antigen in 13 (72%) of 18 patients with surgically confirmed CE, 17 (65%) of 26 patients with ultrasound-proven CE, and 19 (40%) of 47 presumptive cases of CE. The test detected antigen in 1 (4%) of 25 controls with other parasitic disease, and no antigen was detected in the serum of 25 healthy controls. The LAT showed a sensitivity of 72%, a specificity of 98%, a positive predictive value of 93%, and a negative predictive value of 91%. The present study is the first report of the LAT for the detection of hydatid antigen in serum in the diagnosis of CE.

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Metastatic thyroid carcinoma is clinically silent and found only at autopsy in most instances. Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most common and constitutes 56% of all secondary malignancies. However, preoperative distinction between primary and secondary thyroid neoplasms is often challenging. Fine needle aspiration is helpful in establishing a correct preoperative diagnosis. A local surgical resection is curative if prompt preoperative diagnosis is established. We hereby report a case of isolated metastatic RCC to the thyroid in a 65-year-old woman, diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology and later confirmed with histopathological examination.

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