Radioimmunoassay of serum conjugated cholic acid in hepatic murine schistosomiasis.

Cholylglycine levels were measured by radioimmunoassay in sera from 10 control CFI female mice and 22 CFI female mice experimentally infected with Schistosoma mansoni. Cholylglycine was significantly elevated in sera of all but one of the chronically infected animals. Serum aspartate transaminase was within normal limits in all the infected animals; while five infected mice had elevated serum alkaline phosphatase and all these five also had high levels of serum cholylglycine. Marked hepatic histopathological changes were demonstrated in all the infected animals. The data suggest that serum cholylglycine is a highly sensitive index for hepatic dysfunction in chronic hepatic schistosomiasis mansoni.