Immunoglobulin E in some intestinal parasitic infections

ABSTRACT

48 patients and 10 control subjects were studied. Their ages ranged from 6.5-60 years. 15 patients were bilharzial; 10 non ascitic and 5 ascitic; 9 patients with ascariasis; 6 patients with oxyuris, 6 withgiradiasis; 6 with H. nana and 6 patients with trichostrongyloides. The control group consisted of 10 apparently normal subjects. All cases were subjected ta thorough history taking, clinical examination, urine and stool analyses, sigmoidoscopy and mucosal biopsy, complete blood picture, ESR and immunoglobin E estimation. There was significant increase in IgE levels in all parasitic infections except in H. nana group. The highly significant elevation was found in ascariasis and bilharzial group [specially the non ascitic cases]. The triad of anemia, raised ESR and high level of IgE may be a feature of some parasitic infections; namely bilharziasrs, ascariasis, oxyuriasis and trichostrongyloides. IgE estimation may be a useful parameter in the diagnosis and follow up of cases with bilharziasis as well as other parasites, higher levels being obtained with ascariasis [which can be excluded by stool analysis] and bilharzial cases where diagnosis is sometimes difficult. As individual parasitic infections were found to raise IgE level, it is expected that mixed parasitic infestations may raise IgE and this may be of diagnostic value and usefulness in follow up of these infections