Eosinophil cationic protein in patients with fascioliasis: Its probable effects on symptoms and signs

WOS: 000237606900005PubMed ID: 16709536Eosinophilia is 1 of the most common signs of fascioliasis especially during acute stage. In this study, our aim was to determine eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) in the sera of patients with fascioliasis and to investigate the likely relation between ECP and symptoms and signs of fascioliasis. Presence of high liver enzyme levels, eosinophilia, abdominal pain or urticaria was not found to be significantly associated with ECP positivity (p > 0.05), but statistical analyses revealed that ECP positivity was significantly related to weight loss status of patients (p < 0.005). In conclusion, ECP may be 1 of the likely causes of the symptoms and signs of fascioliasis

Coinfection of chronic hepatitis B and fasciolosis

WOS: 000189037700011PubMed ID: 15007744Chronic hepatitis B and fasciolosis are associated with the induction of T-cell responses polarized to the Th2 subtype. Interferon-alpha enhances innate immunity as well as Th1 immune response. We present a male patient with chronic hepatitis B and fasciolosis who responded to chronic hepatitis treatment with hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine, interferon-alpha-2b and Lamivudine

Tissue parasites in patients with chronic urticaria

WOS: 000186762300001PubMed ID: 14684933Chronic urticaria is an important diagnostic and therapeutic problem. We aimed to investigate the sero-prevalence of tissue parasites causing toxocariasis and fasciolosis in patients with chronic urticaria. All cases were analyzed for antibodies against Toxocara canis and Fasciola hepatica by modified (homemade) ELISA. The excretory/secretory products of Toxocara and Fasciola were used as antigens (ES-ELISA) in the test. In this study, the highest toxocariasis seropositivity (29.0%) rate and the highest fasciolosis seropositivity (14.5%) rate were found in patients with chronic urticaria. Fasciolosis seropositivity and total seropositivity of toxocariasis and fasciolosis in patients with chronic urticaria was significantly higher than in healthy controls (p0.05). We suggest that parasitic infections should be considered as an important cause of chronic urticaria. Serological methods should be used to expose the diagnosis of tissue parasites in such cases