Immunolgical indicators of morbidity in human Schistosoma mansoni: role of vascular endothelial growth factor and anti - soluble egg antigen IgG4 in disease progression

ABSTRACT

Based on the clinical, parasitologic, sigmoidoscopic and sonographic examinations of 90 Schistosomiasis mansoni patients, they were divided into five groups Lightly infected, heavily infected, intestinal, early hepatosplenic and periportal fibrosis patients. Using ELISA, the levels of circulating vascular endothelial growth factor [VEGF] and anti-soluble egg antigen [SEA] IgG4 were measured in their sera. Compared with the normal controls, VEGF levels were significantly raised in all schistosomiasis patients groups, except the lightly- infected and intestinal patients as they were insignificantly elevated. The level of VEGF correlated with the disease progression from the lightly-infected to periportal fibrosis patients. It also correlated with the sonographic indicators of portal hypertension, presence of portosystemic collaterals, portal vein dilatation and splenomegaly. Serum IgG4 was significantly raised in only periportal fibrosis and portal hypertension patients