Pre and post treatment patterns of serodiagnostic parameters (antibody and immune complexes) in schistosomiasis haematobium patients
Abstract
56 school children from Tiwi Primary school located in
Kwale district, Coast province, Kenya, found to have s.
haematobium infection parasitologically, had their sera
obtained and assayed for circulating antischistosome
antibodies and specific immune complexes. Praziquantel, 40
mg/kg body weight was given as a stat dose. Follow up was
performed at two weeks (50 pupils), five weeks (49 pupils) and
sixteen weeks (45 pupils). At each follow up period, urine
was collected for egg output estimation and serum samples were
obtained for assay of circulating anti-schistosome antibodies
and specific immune complexes. Circulating immune complexes
identified correctly all (100%) the pupils shown to have S.
haematobium infection parasitologically. Circulating
antibodies identified correctly 93% of these.
The mean egg output was 84.5 per 10 mls of urine before
treatment, falling to 1.24 per 10 mls of urine at the end of
sixteen weeks follow up. This drop was apparent as early as
two weeks after treatment;
There was no correlation between the egg output,
circulating anti-schistosome antibodies and immune complexes
at the start of the study (p>0.05). Statistically significant
reductions in circulating antibodies and immune complexes
following treatment,were recorded (p < 0.001). Circulating
antibody was detected in 93% of the pupils -at an intensity of
96.2% at the pre-treatment period and rose to an intensity of
140.0% in 92% of the pupils at two weeks follow up.
With time, the level of circulating antibodies decreased
and though still positive in 62.2% of the pupils, at sixteen
weeks the intensity was only 31.3%. Circulating immune
complexes, detectable in all the pupils at pre-treatment and
two weeks follow up at an intensity of 111.2% and 112.6%
respectively, decreased more dramatically to an intensity of
21.9% in 28.2% of the pupils at sixteen weeks.
Citation
Masters of MedicinePublisher
University of Nairobi School of Medicine