[Clinico-immunologic indices of various patient contingents in a focus of chronic opisthorchiasis. 3. Dynamics of the indices following praziquantel treatment]
Studies of the time course of the immune status characteristics after praziquantel treatment and of the nature of its side-effects on various groups of opisthorchiasis patients in the focus established significant differences in their immune response to specific treatment. The lack of alterations in the T- and B-immunity systems in aboriginal population of the focus may suggest its tolerance to helminthic antigens. The trend towards cellular immunity stimulation and a significant increase in the levels of circulating immune complexes and specific antibodies in the serum were observed in aboriginal population of the focus. The comers showed significant initial alterations of the immunity status before treatment, pointing to their sensitization to parasitic antigens. Suppression of the infection normalizes several cellular and humoral immunity characteristics--the number of T-helpers, T-lymphocytes, B-lymphocytes, Th/Tc indices, T-lymphocyte functional activity, thus eliminating immune depression. The increased IgG, CIC and specific antibody levels significantly exceeding the normal level, occurrence or enhancement of allergic reactions point to the necessity of performing a desensitizing therapy and using effective cholagogic drugs in the multimodality treatment to rapidly eliminate the parasitic antigen.
[The comparative characteristics of the clinico-immunological indices in different contingents of opisthorchiasis patients in a hyperendemic focus. 4. The transplacental transmission of Opisthorchis felineus antigens]
25 women in labour with chronic opisthorchiasis have been examined. They were representatives of native (7), local (8) and migrated population of the focus. Control group comprised 10 women from the local population free of invasion. Their immune status was assessed by the level of IgA, IgG, IgM, circulating immune complexes (CIC) and specific antibodies in the serum obtained from peripheral and funic veins, as determined by enzyme immunoassay (ELISA). To detect opisthorchis antigens in the serum modified radial immunodiffusion test was used. Antibody titres in ELISA, IgG and CIC levels were the highest in migrated women. Antibody titres in ELISA and IgG level in the newborn of migrated women were also considerably higher than in other newborn. Serum IgM level in all groups of newborn was considerably lower than in their mothers and IgA was altogether undetectable. In 3 native and 2 local women the results of immunodiffusion test were positive. It is suggested that transplacental migration of opisthorchis throughout the neonatal period may lead to tolerance formation.
