Delayed Hypersensitivity in Ugandan Schistosomiasis Mansoni

Abstract
Serological responses and clinical states of 15 subjects with overt Schistosoma mansoni infection and delayed hypersensitivity (DHS) to adult worm antigen were compared with responses in 15 subjects with overt infection, but negative delayed skin reactions. Subjects selected were paired as closely as possible in sex, age, quantitative S. mansoni fecal egg counts, history of treatment for S. mansoni and length of residence in a nonendemic area. Pair members differed in that one member had a positive reaction 24 hours after skin testing, while the other did not. DHS was not associated with any significant differences in levels of serum IgA, IgM, IgG or IgE; in complement fixation or indirect fluorescent antibody titers; or in presence of positive circumoval precipitin test. Presence of lines in the micro-Ouchterlony double diffusion test was significantly more common in subjects with DHS, but other investigations in this laboratory have shown that the presence of precipitin lines in this test is not unique to sera from subjects with DHS. The presence of DHS was not associated with any detectable differences in clinical state of the subject or in presence of liver or spleen enlargement.

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