Sarpong-Baidoo Margaret, Ofori Michael F, Asuming-Brempong Elias Kwesi, Kyei-Baafour Eric, Idun Bright K, Owusu-Frimpong Isaac, Amonoo Nana A, Quarshie Queenstar D, Tettevi Edward J, Osei-Atweneboana Mike Y
Biomedical and Public Health Research Unit, CSIR- Water Research Institute, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Accra, Ghana.
Department of Animal Biology and Conservation Sciences, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2021 Jun 29;15(6):e0009455. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009455. eCollection 2021 Jun.
Schistosomiasis remains a major public health issue with over 90% of the prevalence rates recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa. In this study, the relationships between different interleukin gene polymorphisms (IL-13-591A/G, IL-13-1055C/T, IL-13-1258A/G) and Schistosoma haematobium infection levels were evaluated; as well as the host plasma antibodies and cytokine profiles associated with schistosomiasis infection.
A total of 469 school children aged 6 to 19 years from four schistosomiasis-endemic communities in Ghana were involved. Single urine and stool samples were obtained from each pupil, processed via sedimentation and Kato-Katz, and examined via microscopy for Schistosoma and soil-transmitted helminth (STH) eggs. Next, venous blood samples were drawn from 350 healthy pupils, and used to measure antibody and plasma cytokine levels by ELISA. Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the IL-13 gene were genotyped on 71 selected blood samples using the Mass Array technique.
The overall prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis was 21.11%. Community-level prevalences were 17.12%, 32.11%, 20.80%, and 15.32% for Asempaneye, Barikumah, Eyan Akotoguah, and Apewosika respectively. Generally, higher S. haematobium infection prevalence and intensity were recorded for participants with genotypes bearing the IL13-1055C allele, the IL13-591A, and the IL13-1258A alleles. Also, higher S. haematobium infection prevalence was observed among participants in the 12-14-year age group with the IL13-1055C, IL13-591A, and IL13-1258A alleles. Interestingly, higher STH prevalence was also observed among participants with the IL13-1055C, IL13-591A, and IL13-1258A alleles. Furthermore, the age-associated trends of measured antibodies and cytokines of S. haematobium-infected school-children depicted a more pro-inflammatory immune profile for pupils aged up to 1l years, and an increasingly anti-inflammatory profile for pupils aged 12 years and above. This work provides insight into the influence of IL-13 gene polymorphisms on S. haematobium, and STH infections, in school-aged children (SAC).
血吸虫病仍然是一个重大的公共卫生问题，撒哈拉以南非洲地区记录的患病率超过90%。在本研究中，评估了不同白细胞介素基因多态性（IL-13-591A/G、IL-13-1055C/T、IL-13-1258A/G）与埃及血吸虫感染水平之间的关系；以及与血吸虫病感染相关的宿主血浆抗体和细胞因子谱。
共有来自加纳四个血吸虫病流行社区的469名6至19岁学龄儿童参与研究。从每个学生处采集单次尿液和粪便样本，通过沉淀法和加藤厚涂片法进行处理，并通过显微镜检查血吸虫和土壤传播的蠕虫（STH）虫卵。接下来，从350名健康学生中采集静脉血样本，用于通过酶联免疫吸附测定法（ELISA）测量抗体和血浆细胞因子水平。使用基质辅助激光解吸电离飞行时间质谱（Mass Array）技术对71份选定血样中的IL-13基因单核苷酸多态性进行基因分型。
埃及血吸虫病的总体患病率为21.11%。阿森帕内耶、巴里库马、埃扬·阿科托瓜和阿佩沃西卡社区的患病率分别为17.12%、32.11%、20.80%和15.32%。一般来说，携带IL13-1055C等位基因、IL13-591A和IL13-1258A等位基因的基因型参与者的埃及血吸虫感染患病率和强度更高。此外，在12至14岁年龄组中携带IL13-1055C、IL13-591A和IL13-1258A等位基因的参与者中观察到更高的埃及血吸虫感染患病率。有趣的是，在携带IL13-1055C、IL13-591A和IL13-1258A等位基因的参与者中也观察到更高的STH患病率。此外，埃及血吸虫感染的学龄儿童中测量的抗体和细胞因子与年龄相关的趋势表明，11岁及以下的学生具有更强的促炎免疫特征，而12岁及以上的学生则具有越来越强的抗炎特征。这项工作为IL-13基因多态性对学龄儿童（SAC）埃及血吸虫和STH感染的影响提供了见解。
