The main pathologic consequence to Schistosoma mansoni infection is granuloma formation. It is a complex process involving intricate cell-cell interactions in which many cytokines participate. Sera of schistosomiasis mansoni patients in various clinical stages were assayed for Soluble Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 (5ICAM-1), Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNF-a) and Interleukin-6 (IL-6) to determine if levels of these cytokines were altered as a result of disease status. The mean serum levels of sICAM-1, TNF-a and IL-6 were significantly higher in schistosomiasis patients than in healthy controls. Hepatosplenic patients had significantly higher levels of sICAM-1 and TNF-a than intestinal patients. Serum sICAM-1, TNF-a and IL-6 levels of low-egg excreting patients and high-egg excreting patients were comparable with no significant difference. Patients with periportal fibrosis had significantly higher serum levels of sICAM-1, TNF-a and IL-6 than patients without periportal fibrosis. Serum levels of sICAM-1 and TNF-a appeared to correlate with disease severity but not with intensity of infection. It is concluded that sICAM-1 and TNF-a may be useful markers, for disease severity in different stages of human Schistosoma mansoni infection and for differentiating the presence or absence of periportal fibrosis in such patients |
