Study of interleukin-2 receptor in schistosomiasis mansoni and its analogous changes in collagen diseases and schistosomal arthropathy.

An enzyme linked immunosorbent assay was used to quantify soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) in the serum of patients with different stages of S. mansoni infection, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and schistosomal arthropathy. The results demonstrated significant higher level of sIL-2R in different patient groups compared to the control group. The highest level of sIL-2R was recorded in hepatosplenic schistosomiasis complicated with ascites. The difference was statistically significant compared to other groups. There was no significant difference in sIL-2R regarding rheumatoid arthritis and SLE. Schistosomal arthropathy group showed significant higher level of sIL-2R compared to rheumatoid arthritis, SLE and early S. mansoni infection while the difference was insignificant compared to hepatosplenic schistosomiasis without ascites.