Schistosoma infection inhibits cellular immune responses to core HCV peptides

摘要: Patients coinfected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and the trematode, Schistosoma mansoni, have an increased incidence of viral persistence accelerated fibrosis. To investigate immunological mechanisms responsible for this more aggressive natural history HCV, core HCV-specific T-cell responses were analysed in 44 donated blood units rejected because they had antibodies to HCV (anti-HCV). Half also anti-S. mansoni antibodies, evidence past or active infection. ELISPOT examined using pools 180 overlapping 9-mer peptides offsets one covering genotype 4a. Comparison positive both anti-HCV anti-Schistosoma only showed a significant decrease core-specific IFN-gamma (505+/- 46 vs. 803 +/- 66 ISC/10(6) cells, P < 0.001), IL-4 (2 108 641 131 IL-10 (159 105 466 407 0.002) responses. In contrast, there was no difference cell-mediated immune response (CMI) PHA mitogen between these two groups. Therefore, we concluded T cells from persons reduced IFN-gamma, IL-4, secreting This may explain why coinfection increases severity