ABSTRACT
100 cases from areas endemic for schistosomiasis and presenting with different stages of hepatosplenic involvement were included in this study. They were subjected to thorough clinical examination. They were clinically classified according to liver and spleen size into early, moderate and advanced groups. Routine urine and stool analysis, liver functions and blood picture exanimations were done. Liver biopsy was performed using the Menghini needle, and sections were stained by H and E for histopathological diagnosis. Sections from 70 biopsies were stained by orcein for detection of HBsAg in liver cells. Serum samples were available from 75 cases and were tested for HBsAg by the ELISA and for anti- HBs by RIA. On histopathological examination, evidences of schistosomiasis; ova, granuloma and/or pigment were present in 68 percent of cases and tended to decrease from the early to the moderate stage and diminished significantly in the advanced stage of hepatosplenic affection. Cases presenting pathological features of -C.P.H., C.A.H. or cirrhosis represented 25 percent of cases and were found to increase with progress of the disease. HBsAg was positive in 17.3 percent and anti- HBs was detected in 44 percent of cases studied/Difference between percentages of positivity was not significant in cases with evidences of schistosomiasis in liver biopsy and cases without. Cases presenting pathological feature of C.A.H. showed a significantly higher percentage of positivity HBs antigenaemia but no significant difference for anti- HBs positivity than cases without lesions of C.A.H. In cases positive f or HBsAg, comparison of HBsAg detection in liver cells and in serum coincided in 86.6 percent