Assessment of splenic functions in patients with hepato-splenic schistosomiasis using non-invasive techniques

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out on 40 cases, classified into 3 groups Group I, 10 healthy controls subjects; group II, 20 patients with hepatosplenic schistosomiasis and group III, 10 bilharzial patients who underwent total splenectomy. All cases were subjected to clinical examination, abdominal ultrasonography, rectal snips and laboratory investigations. The present results revealed varying degrees of hypersplenism [anemia, leukopenia and thrombocytopenia] in GII. 70% of this group was positive for HbsAg, HCV or both in association with schistosomiasis. Abnormal red blood cells [acanthocytes, target cells, pitted cells and normoblasts] and inclusion bodies [Howell Jolly bodies, argyrophilic inclusions and pappenhiemer bodies] were detected with different values in GIII. CD+4 cells were moderately reduced in GII, while they were markedly decreased in GIII. CD+8 cells were elevated in GII and returned nearly to the normal values in GIII with decreased in number of total T-lymphocytes