Determination of specific IgG4 for diagnosis and therapeutic evaluation of cerebral cysticercosis

Objective To probe the significance of specific IgG4 in sera of patients with cerebral cysticercosis for diagnosis and therapeutic evaluation. Methods Specific IgG4 in sera of patients with cerebral cysticercosis was assessed using colloidal gold-labeled mouse-anti-human IgG4 McAb as probe. The results were compared with the CT image manifestation. Results The specific IgG4 positive rate in sera of patients with cerebral cysticercosis was 97.8%, whereas sera from patients with other kinds of parasitosis or central nerve system disease and the control group were all negative, except for a weak cross-reaction of sera from patients with hepatic echinococoosis. The determination of specific IgG4 in sera of patients with cerebral cysticercosis during different times of treatment showed that along with an increase in treatment time and improvement of clinical symptoms, specific IgG4 level gradually decreased. The positive rate and intensity of specific IgG4 in sera from patients with cerebral cysticercosis were consistent with the number of cysticercus parasites in the brain and pathologic changes, such as survival, disintegration, death and calcification. Survival of cysticercus in the brain was objectively evaluated using this technique. Conclusions The determination of specific IgG4 in sera is a practical method for diagnosis and therapeutic evaluation of cerebral cysticercosis.