Urinary transforming growth factor beta 1 [TGF beta 1] and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 [sICAM-1] as non invasive immunological indicators of disease progression and morbidity in human schistosomiasis mansoni and haematobium

The level of urinary TGF beta 1 and serum soluble intracellular adhesion molecule-I [sICAM-1] were assessed in different stages of human infection with Schistosoma mansoni and haematobium using radioimmunoassay and ELISA kits respectively. Their role in pathogenesis and relevance to disease severity were evaluated. Based on information obtained from clinical, parasitological, sigmoidoscopic, sonographic and urethero- cystoscopy examination.70 schistosomiasis mansoni patients were divided into the following groups: active intestinal, early hepatosplenic and periportal fibrosis. Also 30 Schistosoma haematobium infected patients were divided into: early urinary, chronic stage and early non invasive and invasive stages of urinary bladder squamous cell carcinoma on top of schistosomiasis haematobium. Compared to normal controls, the results showed that TGF-beta1 levels were significantly raised in early hepatosplenic and periportal fibrosis schistosomiasis mansoni patients. TGF beta 1 level was significantly increased with disease progression in periportal fibrosis patients as well as with sonographic indicators of portal hypertension; presence of portosystemic collaterals, portal vein dilatation. In schistosoma haematobium patients significant increase of TGF beta 1 levels were observed in patients with both invasive and non invasive bladder carcinoma stages in comparison to control group. Serum sICAM-1 was significantly up regulated in hepatosplenic and periportal fibrosis patients in Schistosoma mansoni infected groups. However in S. haematobium infected patients it was only elevated in late invasive cancer stage This study provided evidence that urinary levels of TGF beta 1 and serum sICAM-1 could serve as an indicator of progression of schistosomiasis mansoni reflecting their role in angiogenesis, granuloma and fibrosis development in liver. TGF beta 1 has the added advantage of being a potential useful safe non invasive marker in detecting bladder carcinoma on top of Schistosoma haematobium infection. TGF beta 1 may be also a sensitive marker for effectiveness of treatment in periportal fibrosis patients

Molecular characterization of Egyptian human and animal echinococcus granulosus isolates by Rapd-PCR technique

Five primers of known, but arbitrary nucleotide sequence [OPH-03, OPH-05, OPH-12, OPH-15 and OPH-18] were used to detect the genetic variability in the Egyptian human, camel and pig E. Granulosus isolates. OPH-03, OPH-05 and OPH-15 proved to be useful genetic markers of strain variation; while, OPH-12 and OPH-18 allowed the distinction at the genus level, i.e. diversified from Cysticercus tenuicollis. OPH-03 was the most effective, giving sharp distinct banding pattern and the least values of similarity coefficients. Some variations were detected within E. granulosus isolates from the same host. The level of heterogeneity was low in three of the human isolates, camel and pig strains. An individual variation was detectable within other three human isolates. Human and camel isolates were the most related pair, having similar patterns and the highest similarity coefficients. The study implied that human cases in Egypt are of the camel/dog strain and camels are important hosts for the transmission of human hydatidosis

Association of some HLA-DRB1 antigens with echinococcus granulosus specific humoral immune response

In this study, an ELISA system using crude camel hydatid fluid antigen was used to detect specific IgG and IgG1 in the sera of 35 cystic echinococcosis [CE] patients, in whom the distribution of class II HLA-DR3 anti HLA-DR11 was determined. The recorded sensitivities were 88.6% and 94.35% for IgG and IgG1, respectively. In patients with a high humoral immune response, a statistically highly significant increased frequency of HLA-DR3 was recorded for IgG with a high relative risk value [RR = 3.2] and a reasonable etiologic fraction [EF = 0.3], while HLA-DR11 recorded RR = 2.6 and EF = 0.2. For IgG1, both antigens showed a significant increased frequency [RR = 2.95 and 2.79, respectively, and EF = 0.28 and 0.23, respectively]. HLA-DR3 was highly significantly associated with complicated cases [RR = 4.36 and EF = 0.4], in whom the mean antibody units for both IgG and IgG1 were significantly raised. It was advisable to rely on IgG1 for the diagnosis of CE and to consider the genetic disposition of the patient as an important criterion in the outcome of infection

Avidity of immunoglobuling antibody response to the different antigenic fractions of soluble Schistosoma mansoni adult worm antigen preparation [SWAP] using Avidity Immmunoblotting assay

Human serum samples from 25 acute schistosomiasis patients, 20 chronic cases and 15 normal healthy controls were analyzed by IgG avidity enzyme linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA] and IgG avidity immunoblotting assay. Using avidity ELISA, a pronounced overlap of avidity index values was observed between acute and chronic infections with a range of uncertainty [0.86-1], which was encountered in both groups. Using avidity immunoblotting assay, antigenic bands at >116, 84, 48, 40 and 34 kDa were exclusive for the acute phase. From these bands, 34 kDa was recognized mostly by low-avidity antibodies and showed a high sensitivity [96%] and specificity [100%], making it an optimal marker for the acute phase. 40 kDa band was recognized mostly by high-avidity antibodies, even during acute infection. Bands of 80, 70, 42, 36, 30 and 26 kDa were exclusive for the chronic phase. Only 70 kDa band was recognized by high-avidity antibodies, yet with low sensitivity [35%] that limits its use as an optimal marker for the chronic infection. Meanwhile, 70 and 40 kDa bands, recognized by high-avidity antibodies, are considered as potential vaccine antigen candidates