EFFECTS OF PRAZIQUANTEL TREATMENT ON THE LEVEL OF SCHISTOSOMA JAPONICUM 31/32 kDa ANTIBODY

To probe the effects of chemotherapy on Schistosoma japonicum 31/32 kDa antibody, purified S. japonicum 31/32 kDa antigen(Sj31/32) and soluble egg antigen(SEA) were used to quantitatively detect the antibodies in sera from 94 patients infected S. japonicum after praziquantel treatment for 3 and 6 months. The results showed that the levels of Sj31/32 IgG were 1.26 ±0.15 and 0.65±0.14(2.03±0.20 before treatment, P 0.01), while the levels of SEA IgG were 2.87±0.19 and 2.30±0.20 (3.01±0.17 before treatment, P 0.05) respectively after treatment for 3 and 6 months. The levels of Sj31/32 IgG and SEA IgG declined with the process of treatment in all age groups. The level of Sj31/32 IgG dropped the most quickly in the age of 3~20. It would be almost reduced to the normal value after treatment for 6 months. There was a significant correlation between the level of Sj31/32 IgG and that of SEA IgG before treatment(r=0.90), while it were decreased after treatmeat for 3 and 6 months(r=0.30,0.40 respectively). The results suggested that the level of Sj31/32IgG declined more quickly after treatment than that of SEA IgG. Sj31/32IgG might be a short duration antibody which could be used as evaluation of therapeutic efficacy.