IMMUNOLOGICAL STUDIES IN PATIENTS WITH HOOKWORM INFECTION IN ZARIA

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Date
1989-12
Authors
Olatunde, Priscilla Bolanle Olufunke
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Abstract
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 57 Nigerian patients with ( Necato r americanus and Ancylo stoma duodenale) hookworm infection were examined for lymphocyte subpopulations, leucocyte response to P.P.D., for immunoglobulins (IgG, IgM, IgA and slgA) and complements (C and C,) and for the effect of antihelminthic treatment with mebendazole and lavamisole on the lymphocyte populations. Anaemia was assesse.i in terms of hypochroraia and level of haemoglobin. The p a t i e n t s were divided into five groups comprising those with (a) marked anaemia (b) mild to moderate anaemia (c) no anaemia (d) hookworm i n i e c t i on alone and (e) hookworm and other parasites. In comparison with a group of 2/ healthy subjects as controls, VBC counts were aigniiicantly elevated in ail the subgroups (P < 0.05). A significant eosinophilia was also observed in all the subgroups (P < 0..5). Differential leucocyte and neutrophil counts were not significant different from the controls before and after treatment. From the T-cell compartment, anti-Leu U p o sitive ( total ) T-cell3 and anti-Leu-3a positive (Helper/Inducer) T-cells were significantly depressed in all the subgroups compared to controls (p <0.001). The difference in anti-Leu-2a positive (suppressor/cytotoxic) T-cells between patients and controls was not significant (P <0.1). Leucocyte migration responses to purified protein derivative (F.P.D.) was also significantly recuced in all tne subgroups (P <0.005). IgA was significantly elevated in patients with anaemia of mild to moderate severity and with hookworm only (P <0.05) while slgA was significantly elevated in a l l the subgroups as compared to the controls. IgM was significantly elevated in patients with marked anaemia, in patients without anaemia and in those with hookworm and otner parasites (P <0.05). However, the difierences in igG levels between patients and controls were not significant (P > 0 . l ) . C4 was significantly elevated in patients with marked anaemia, mild to moderate anaemia and in those with hookworms only while C3 levels were not significantly different in the subgroups when compared to the controls. In 2o patients eff'ectively treated with mebendazole and levamisolo, a significant partial r e v e r s i b i l i t y of the lymphocyte alterations was observed after 4 weeks of treatment (P < 0.05). WBC counts were reduced, while anti Leu-4 and anti Leu-3a c e l l s were significantly elevated compared to pre-treatment values in a l l the subgroups (P <0.05). These results show that hookworm infection in Nigerian patients is characterized by depressed total and helper T-cell and leucocyte responses which are p a r t i a l l y restorable by treatment with levamisole and mebendazole and which might be responsible for the prolonged l i fe of hookworms in man.
Description
A thesis submitted to the Postgraduate School, Ahmadu Bello University Zarla, in partial Fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the Degree of Master of Science Department of Microbiology Faculty of Science, Ahmadu Bello University ZARIA DECEMBER, 1989
Keywords
IMMUNOLOGICAL,, PATIENTS,, HOOKWORM INFECTION,, ZARIA
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