1. Characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 and Opisthorchis viverrini coinfections: insights into immune responses and clinical outcomes.
- Author
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Charoensuk L, Pinlaor S, Nimala B, Suttiprapa S, and Prakobwong S
- Subjects
- Humans, Animals, Male, Female, Cross-Sectional Studies, Adult, Middle Aged, Interferon-gamma blood, Antibodies, Neutralizing blood, Immunoglobulin G blood, Aged, Antibodies, Viral blood, Antibodies, Helminth blood, COVID-19 immunology, COVID-19 complications, Opisthorchiasis immunology, Opisthorchiasis complications, Coinfection immunology, Coinfection parasitology, Opisthorchis immunology, SARS-CoV-2 immunology
- Abstract
The effects of co-infections with SARS-CoV-2 and parasitic diseases have been little investigated in terms of immune response, disease dynamics, and clinical outcomes. This study aimed to explore the impact of co-infection with Opisthorchis viverrini and SARS-CoV-2 on the immune response concerning clinical symptoms and the severity of pulmonary abnormalities. A cross-sectional study was conducted, including healthy participants as controls, participants with opisthorchiasis, SARS-CoV-2 infection, and a co-infection group with both diseases. Characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 infection were assessed based on clinical parameters and severity of pulmonary abnormalities, whereas opisthorchiasis burden was evaluated by eggs-per-gram (EPG) counts. Immune responses were assessed by measuring levels of interferon-γ (IFN-γ), SARS-CoV-2 anti-spike receptor binding domain (RBD) IgG, and neutralizing antibody against SARS-CoV-2. In the co-infected group, clinical parameters and hospitalization rates were lower than in the SARS-CoV-2 group. Pulmonary abnormalities, such as bronchial fibrosis, were commonly observed in the SARS-CoV-2 group, leading to hospitalization in some cases. Participants with opisthorchiasis had higher IFN-γ levels than healthy individuals. IFN-γ levels were significantly lower in the co-infection group compared with the SARS-CoV-2 group (P = 0.002). There was a significant (P = 0.044) positive correlation between RBD-specific IgG and percent neutralization levels in the SARS-CoV-2 group. Levels of both were somewhat lower (not statistically significant) in the co-infection group. A negative correlation was observed between opisthorchiasis burden (EPG counts) and IFN-γ and RBD-specific IgG levels in the co-infected group. Following vaccination, the increase in IgG levels against the RBD protein was significantly lower in the co-infected group than in the SARS-CoV-2 group. These results suggest that O. viverrini infection suppresses immune responses and may lead to a reduction in severity in cases of SARS-CoV-2 co-infection., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)
- Published
- 2024
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