EFFECT OF EARLY TREATMENT WITH PRAZIQUANTEL ON SERUM CONNECTIVE-TISSUE METABOLITE MARKERS IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH INTESTINAL SCHISTOSOMIASIS-MANSONI

This work was designed to assess the reflection of early treatment by praziquantel (GAS 55268-74-1, EMBAY 8440, Biltricide(R)) on serum conn ective tissue metabolite markers (hyaluronic acid and procollagen III peptide) in patients with active intestinal schistosomiasis. Children and adolescent subjects from primary and secondary schools in an endem ic area of schistosomiasis mansoni were included. Age-matched subjects from an urban area served as normal controls. All subjects were exami ned clinically and parasitologically. Detection of hepatitis B seromar kers was also done. The infected subjects were treated with praziquant el at a dose of 60 mg/kg of body weight which was repealed after 4 wee ks. Serum hyaluronic acid and procollagen III peptide were measured by radioimmunoassay. High hyaluronic acid was encountered in infected su bjects when compared to their respective age-matched controls. Signifi cant decrease of 4 and 8 weeks post-treatment was noted when compared to ist level before treatment. There was no significant change in seru m procollagen III peptide on comparing infected subjects to their cont rols, whereas a significant increase was observed in its level after 4 and 8 weeks post-treatment compared to that before treatment. This wo rk suggests that early treatment of intestinal schistosomiasis with sp ecific chemotherapy (praziquantel) decreases serum hyaluronic acid and increases procollagen III peptide probably via downregulation of gran ulomatous inflammatory cell reaction and activation of collagenase enz ymes, respectively.