A study of the presence of circulating immune complexes in schistosomiasis.

The sera from 51 patients with schistosomiasis were studied for the presence of circulating immune complexes (IC) using two methods, inhibition of EAC rosette formation and precipitation of radio-labelled Clq. The percentage EAC rosette inhibition was significantly greater in the total group of patients compared to the control sera. The material inhibiting EAC rosette formation was precipitable by 4% polyethylene glycol, thus excluding the role of C3 fragments and suggesting that inhibition was due to immune complexes. Using precipitation of radio-labelled Clq significant high values compared to control sera were only obtained in those patients before treatment or with an active infection. The results suggests that material behaving as IC is present in the sera of patients with schistosomiasis and that measurement of the levels of IC may be important in assessing the state of the disease.