Background: Intestinal parasites are regarded as a serious public health problem. Poverty, illiteracy, poor hygiene, lack of access to potable water, a hot and humid tropical climate is some of the common factors attributed to intestinal parasitic infection. The immune status of the host plays a critical role in determining susceptibility to infection with certain parasite as well as the outcome and severity of giardiasis and cryptosporidiosis.
Objective: To determine the level of TNF-α in serum of parasite infected person also explore the specific IgA and IgE antibody response to Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium parvum infection.
Materials and methods: A total of 142 patients with gastrointestinal complaints randomly selected from central teaching hospital for pediatric in Baghdad (86 females and 56 males) ranging in age from 7 -19 years was collected during 1st April 2012 till 1st August 2013, they were enrolled as a study group and compared with 60 age-gender matched healthy group without gastrointestinal complaints and free of giardiasis and cryptosporidiosis. Patients subjects (61) Giardiasis, (31) Cryptosporidiosis and (50) double infection by stools examination and immunochromatography strips crypto-Giardia. Blood was collected for serum concentrations of TNF-α by used Enzyme linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), while the concentration of, IgA and IgE by auto chemistry analyzer.
Result: The levels of TNF-α ,IgA and IgE in sera patients with Giardiasis, Cryptosporidiosis and double infection was increased when compared with the healthy looking controls, the statistical analysis shows significant difference (P<0.05) between TNF-α and parasitic infection while not found significant association between infection and levels of IgA and IgE .
Conclusion: Giardiasis, Cryptosporidiosis and double infection had significant effects on TNF-α while non-significant at IgA, IgE levels.
