title: Assessing the morbidity of schistosomiasis by measuring eosinophil cationic protein in serum.
abstract: Eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) was recently used for assessment of Schistosoma haematobium morbidity. In this study, the level of (ECP) in sera of schistosomiasis patients was significantly higher than control group, and this significance was higher in S. haematobium than S. mansoni groups. No association between level of (ECP) in serum and egg count in S. mansoni and S. haematobium patients was found. Comparing the correlation of ECP level in serum with Schistosoma antigen in both serum and urine, in S. mansoni there was a positive association between (ECP) in serum and serum schistosomal antigen but not with schistosomal antigen level in urine among S. mansoni infected patients. On the other hand, in-patients with S. haematobium infection there is strong association between (ECP) level in serum and the level of antigen in urine, but not with schistosomal serum antigen level. These results suggest that serum (ECP) may be useful and more sensitive and accurate marker of morbidity in S. haematobium infection than indirect measures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mohsen M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Hassan
authors.forename: Mona H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: el-Motaim
authors.forename: Mona A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Mattar
authors.forename: Hany A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Afify
authors.forename: el-Saeid
authors.initials: el-S
authors.lastname: el-Badrawy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D047091:Eosinophil Granule Proteins; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D009017:Morbidity; D010270:Parasite Egg Count; D012260:Ribonucleases; D012548:Schistosoma haematobium; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni; D012553:Schistosomiasis haematobia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D012555:Schistosomiasis mansoni / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000947:Antigens, Helminth; D015415:Biomarkers; D001798:Blood Proteins; D047091:Eosinophil Granule Proteins; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D012260:Ribonucleases