Lymphocyte blastogenesis and interleukin-2 assay in schistosomiasis

ABSTRACT

The present study was conducted on 27 patients with schistosomiasis [22 males and 5 females] with age range [6-59 years] and 11 healthy controls with comparable age and sex. Patients were subjected to full clinical assessment, examination of urine, stools, liver function tests, rectal snips for Schistosoma ova and histopathological examination of liver biopsy. Immunological tests performed includes detection of specific 1gM and IgG to schistosomal antigens, lymphoblastoganasis in response to mitogenic and antigenic stimulation, IL-2 receptor detection and IL-2 assay. Results showed significantly low lymphopro-liferative to responses to phytohaemagg-lutinin and concanavalin A mitogens. Also a significantly elevated lymphopro-liferative responses to soluble egg antigen and soluble worm antigen preparation and a significant decrease in IL-2 and IL-2 receptor bearing cells in patients than controls were detected