Titres of antibodies to gut-derived antigens in patients with chronic schistosomiasis mansoni.

Serum titres of antibodies against six intestinal, one ubiquitous and one non-intestinal bacteria were determined in patients with severe hepatosplenic schistosomiasis mansoni, with light intestinal schistosomiasis and in normal subjects. No significant difference was observed among the three groups of subjects for levels of antibodies against two non-intestinal bacteria and four of the intestinal bacteria. Patients with hepatosplenic schistosomiasis had titres of antibodies against one strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and one strain of Escherichia coli lower than those observed in other groups of subjects. Despite the partial obliteration of the hepatic blood outflow and the elevated portal pressure, hepatic clearance of the portal blood is efficient in chronic human schistosomiasis, and unlike alcoholic liver cirrhosis, avoids excessive stimulation of the immune system by a gut-derived antigens.