American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Volume 33, Issue 6, 1984, Pages 1279-1280

A clinical study of Laotian refugees infected with Clonorchis sinensis or Opisthorchis viverrini (Article)

Woolf A. , Green J. , Levine J.A. , Estevez E.G. , Weatherly N. , Rosenberg E. , Frothingham T.
  • a Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, United States
  • b Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, United States
  • c Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, United States
  • d [Affiliation not available]
  • e [Affiliation not available]
  • f [Affiliation not available]
  • g [Affiliation not available]

Abstract

Twenty-six Laotian refugees infected with Clonorchis or Opisthorchis liver flukes, and 15 uninfected controls, were assessed clinically by history, physical examination, serum 5'nucleotidase level, and serum immunoglobulin E level. Ultrasound studies of the biliary tract were also done on a subset of six infected subjects. The results showed no differences between subjects and controls with respect to clinical symptoms, physical findings, 5'nucleotidase, or biliary ultrasound. Mean serum IgE levels were four times higher in fluke-infected individuals than uninfected controls (P < 0.002). Even when those infected with other parasites in addition to Clonorchis were excluded from the analysis, serum IgE levels remained three times higher in fluke infected individuals (P = 0.06). This study provides some evidence that the fluke provokes a mild immune response in the asymptomatic human host but may not require eradication.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

immunoglobulin blood level Opisthorchis Laotia priority journal opisthorchis viverrini Clonorchis Fasciola hepatica trematode Paralichthys dentatus clinical article Trematoda clonorchis sinensis diagnosis human Digenea (flukes) blood and hemopoietic system
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0021713353&doi=10.4269%2fajtmh.1984.33.1279&partnerID=40&md5=b88b95d7adb2651feaa415eabe115977
DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.1984.33.1279
ISSN: 00029637
Cited by: 18
Original Language: English