Serum beta 2-microglobulin in patients with trichinosis.

beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2-m) has been identified as the light chain of the class I major histocompatibility complex proteins, which plays an important role in immune response, especially in T-lymphocytes activation. The aim of the study was to evaluate serum beta 2-m concentration in patients with trichinosis in different phases of this illness. beta 2-m was determined with ELISA in 7 patients twice: in the first week of the hospitalization during acute phase of trichinosis and 21-25 days later, after abatement of clinical signs. It was found that beta 2-m was significantly elevated at the beginning of the illness and decreased, but in the fourth week of the hospitalization it was still high. There was a positive correlation between beta 2-m and absolute count of eosinophils in blood in the first (r = 0.77, p < 0.05) and in the fourth week of hospitalization (r = 0.65, p < 0.05). It is concluded that beta 2-m may have certain importance in the activation of eosinophils and may serve as a marker of immune activation in the course of trichinosis.