[The phagocytic activity of blood platelets in different parasitic diseases].

Blood platelets take part in immune reactions of the organism, especially in anti-parasitic immunity. We conducted the phagocytic activity of blood platelets. This experiments were done on 40 patients infected with Giardia intestinalis (26), Ascaris lumbricoides (8), Entamoeba histolytica/Entamoeba dispar (6). Blood for analysis was collected thrice, before treatment (P1), after two weeks (P2), and after two months treatment with anti-parasitic drugs (P3). Control group consisted of 32 healthy people. The evaluation of platelet phagocytic activity revealed that the mean percentage of phagocytizing platelets in patients was 2.87 (P1), 2.94 (P2), 2.86 (P3), being significantly lower in controls (mean 2.15), the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05). No statistically significant difference was found in the mean phagocytic index between patients (P1, P2, P3) and controls. Our general conclusion is--parasites are able to stimulate phagocytic activity of blood platelets.