Studies on the significance of secretory IgA antibodies in the pathogenesis and clinical course of enterobiasis in infected persons from Bulgaria: preliminary findings

Enterobiasis is one of the most common human parasitic infections worldwide and in Bulgaria. The objective of this study was to ascertain the levels of intestinal secretory IgA antibodies in patients with enterobiasis, to determine the local immune response in this helminthiasis, and to evaluate its influence on clinical manifestations during infection. Faecal samples from 102 enterobiasis patients and 40 clinically healthy controls were examined. In individuals infected with <i>Enterobius vermicularis</i>, the range of values for SIgA was higher (from 27.5 μg/ml to 13916 μg/ml). However, no statistically significant difference was found between them and those in persons without evidence of infection (from 27.5 to 8999 μg/ml). In both groups of individuals (infected and non-infected), we observed differences in the levels of SIgA, which appeared to be dependent on the age and gender of the subjects. Significantly, higher values were observed in children and adolescents, as well as in males. In individuals with enterobiasis, a higher level of SIgA was observed in those with pronounced clinical symptoms (mean value = 2198.74) compared to asymptomatic individuals (mean value = 1588.54). The highest levels were observed in patients presenting with perianal pruritus (mean value = 3559.54). Our study of the local humoral immune response in people with enterobiasis is the first of its kind in the country. The results clearly show a direct correlation between the presence of clinical symptoms in enterobiasis and elevated levels of secretory IgA in faeces.