FLOW CYTOMETRIC STUDY OF BLOOD LEUKOCYTES IN CLINICAL FORMS OF HUMAN SCHISTOSOMIASIS

The aim of this study was to examine three distinct groups of schistos omiasis patients and to determine whether cell phenotype profiles coul d be correlated with the different clinical forms of the disease, The data obtained indicate that Schistosoma mansoni infected patients have a loa er percentage of CD3+ T cells than do non-infected individuals. Interestingly, infected patients presented more than twice the mean p ercentage of circulating activated T cells (CD3+HLA-DR+) when compared to the control group. Examination of T lymphocyte subpopulations show ed that patients with the severe hepatosplenic form (HS) of the diseas e had lower levels of both CD8High+ and CD8Low+ cells when compared to the other groups of patients, All infected individuals had a higher p ercentage of circulating B cells, with an increase in the CD5+ B cell population that was more evident in the HS group. The data presented h ere are evidence to support a relationship between the hepatosplenic f orm of the disease, a decrease on the CD8+ cell population and an elev ation on CD5+ B cells.