Leucocyte migration inhibitory factor assay in Nigerians with urinary schistosomiasis

Schistosome antigens (soluble egg antigen and adult worm antigen) and non-schistosome antigens (Bacille Calmette Guerin vaccine antigen and measles virus vaccine antigen) were used to assay for leucocyte migration inhibitory factors (LMIF) in Nigerian children with and without Schistosoma haematobium infection. The severity of S. haematobium infection was graded into light infection (1-49 eggs/ 10 ml urine) or heavy infection (more than or equal to 50 eggs/10 ml urine). The mean percentage migration indices were significantly reduced in heavily infected urinary schistosomiasis (USS) subjects compared with the controls or lightly infected subjects when non-antigens were used to stimulate LMIF production. When Schistosome antigens were used to stimulate LMIF production, there were no significant decreases in the % migration indices in heavily infected USS subjects compared with the light USS subjects. The mean percentage migration index was significantly increased when schistosome antigen was used to stimulate LMIF production in treated USS subjects compared with untreated USS subjects but the increase was not significant when non-schistosome antigen was used. The conclusion that could be drawn from this study is that LMIF assay using schistosome antigen(s) has epidemiological value in schistosomiasis.