Association of neutropenia and decreased neutrophil function with liver fibrosis in patients with Opisthorchis felineus invasion

Introduction. Neutrophils are important participants in the innate immune response, are the first to react to a pathogenic factor and quickly develop non-specific reactions. At the same time, there are no studies on the functional activity of neutrophils in patients with Opisthorchis felineus ( O. felineus ) invasion. Aim. To study the clinical and laboratory manifestations of opisthorchiasis depending on the leukocyte indicators of the complete blood count. Materials and methods. A total of 328 patients with O. felineus invasion (120 men and 208 women) and 51 practically healthy patients (28 men and 23 women) were examined. Opisthorchiasis was diagnosed using coproovoscopy and microscopy of duodenal contents. All patients with O. felineus invasion underwent complete and biochemical blood tests. Liver elastometry using Aixplorer (France) or Siemens Acuson S2000 (Germany) with determination of the liver fibrosis degree according to METAVIR, and blood neutrophils functional activity study were performed in 103 patients with chronic opisthorchiasis (58 men and 45 women). Results. A tendency was found to increase the proportion of leukopenia by 3.5 times (p = 0.12) and neutropenia by 1.9 times (p = 0.15) in patients with liver fibrosis F2-F3 according to METAVIR compared to individuals with liver fibrosis F0 according to METAVIR. The absolute neutrophil content in patients with O. felineus invasion and liver fibrosis F2-F3 according to METAVIR was decreased in comparison with individuals with liver fibrosis F0 according to METAVIR (2.24 × 10 9 /l versus 3.06 × 10 9 /l, p = 0.04). A decrease in the functional activity of neutrophils in the blood was also registered in patients with liver fibrosis F2-F3 according to METAVIR in comparison with individuals with F0 according to METAVIR. Conclusion. A decrease in the number and functional activity of neutrophils in the blood may be markers of an increased risk of liver fibrosis in patients with opisthorchiasis. It is advisable to study the possibilities of immunomodulatory drugs on the course of O. felineus invasion.