B-cell activity in children with malaria.

Background: Recent studies implicate deficiency of red blood cell (RBC) complement regulatory proteins (CR1 and CD55) in the pathogenesis of malarial anaemia. This study explored the involvement of B cell CD21, which has an analogous role to RBC CR1.

Methods: In a case control study conducted in Kisumu District hospital, western Kenya, children with severe malaria anaemia (SMA) and those with uncomplicated malaria (UM) were assessed by flow cytometry for B cells (CD20+) numbers, expression levels of CD21 and deposition of C3dg and by ELISA for soluble CD21 (sCD21).

Increased ratio of tumor necrosis factor-alpha to interleukin-10 production is associated with Schistosoma haematobium-induced urinary-tract morbidity.

Bladder and kidney disease, which affect approximately 25%-30% of subjects infected with Schistosoma haematobium, are mediated by T cell-dependent granulomatous responses to schistosome eggs. To determine why only some infected subjects develop disease, we examined the hypothesis that infected Kenyan subjects with ultrasound-detected urinary-tract morbidity (n=49) had dysregulated cytokine production leading to enhanced granulomatous responses, compared with subjects of similar age and intensity of infection without morbidity (n=100). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from subjects with morbidity produced 8-fold greater levels of egg antigen-driven tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and had a 99-fold greater mean TNF-alpha:interleukin (IL)-10 ratio, compared with subjects without disease.

Cellular immunity to Echinococcus granulosus cysts.

A fundamental feature of Echinococcus granulosus infection is its chronicity. There are many reasons for this, including weak natural immunity and the ability of the larval stages to evade or resist elimination by the hosts' specific immune responses. To identify the types of hosts' cellular immune response, a series of ultrastructral studies of hydatid cysts surgically removed from Turkana patients was conducted based on transmission electron microscopy.

Echinococcus granulosus: ultrastructural effect of albendazole therapy.

The effects of the anthelmintic Albendazole against Echinococcus granulosus hydatid cysts in Turkana patients given orally were studied by means of ultrasound as well as light microscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The treatment generally reduced the size of the cyst mass, making the patients feel well. The drug therapy caused collapse of the cyst wall and daughter cyst.