title: The immune response to schistosome antigens in formerly infected travelers.
abstract: We investigated the type and strength of the immune response to schistosome antigens in a group of 20 Dutch travelers who had been infected with Schistosoma spp. during a group visit to Mali in 1991 and 8 non-infected controls. At the time, 9 had Katayama syndrome (KS), and 11 remained asymptomatic. All had been treated with praziquantel. Eight years later, serology remained positive in all 20 formerly infected travelers. The lymphocyte proliferative responses and cytokine responses (interleukin 13 [IL-13], IL-10, and interferon [IFN-γ] responses to soluble egg antigens and the IL-13, IL-10, and IL-5 response to adult worm antigen) were stronger in the travelers than in the controls and tended to be stronger in those with KS compared with those who had remained asymptomatic. In conclusion, Schistosoma infection induced a memory immune response, and people who experienced KS tended to have a stronger immune response to schistosome antigens than their asymptomatic counterparts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands. d.soonawala@lumc.nl
authors.forename: Darius
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Soonawala
authors.forename: Jan-Willem H J
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Geerts
authors.forename: Marissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Mos
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yazdanbakhsh
authors.forename: Leo G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Visser
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000097:blood; D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000276:immunology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008302:Mali; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D010063:Ovum / Q000276:immunology; D012547:Schistosoma / Q000276:immunology*; D012552:Schistosomiasis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014195:Travel
chemical_list: D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D000947:Antigens, Helminth; D016207:Cytokines