Specific treatment of hepatosplenic schistosomiasis can increase T-lymphocyte reactivity

• Published in: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
• Main Authors: Maria Imaculada Muniz-Junqueira, José Tavares-Neto, Meire Ataide, Aluizio Prata, Carlos Eduardo Tosta
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT) 1991
• Subjects: Imunodepressão; Esquistossomose; Oxamniquine; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0037-86821991000200005; https://doaj.org/article/96effc64814f4f94a209b928e2985881

It has been recognized that Schistosoma mansoni infection causes depression of T-cell responsiveness. In this study we have evaluated whether immunodepression associated to schistosomiasis could be reverted by specific treatment. T-cell immune response was assessed by means of intradermal tests using recall antigens in a group of 22 patients with hepatosplenic schistosomiasis, one year after treatment with oxamniquine and compared with a group of untreated hepatosplenic patients. Only 27% of treated patients presented complete anergy to all tested antigens, in marked contrast to 80% unresponsiveness showed by hepatosplenic patients without treatment. Although most of the treated individuals showed some response to the tested antigens, in some individuals this unresponsiveness still persisted after treatment. Anergy was not found in any normal individual of the control group. It was concluded that Schistosoma mansoni infected patients may recover their normal immune responsiveness after the elimination of the worm by treatment