Antibody profile, interferon-gamma and nutritional status in cryptosporidial infection among school children.

Cryptosporidium parvum is more common in children than in adults. The host responses that induce protective immunity against Cryptosporidium is poorly understood. The present work studied the antibody profile, interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) serum level and nutritional status among infected school children, aged eleven years in a rural school in Abis 8 village. Fecal examination showed nineteen cases only infected with Cryptosporidium and ten children free from parasites (controls). The IgA, IgG and IgM serum levels in infected cases were within normal level, without significant differences as compared to controls. The IgE serum level was significantly high in infected children. The cytokine IFN-gamma was significantly lower in the infected cases as compared to controls. Malnutrition was diagnostic among infected children. It was concluded that malnutrition is the important finding related to Cryptosporidium infection. Malnutrition decreased IFN-gamma the recognized factor in protection from infection and elevated serum IgE level.