Intestinal Parasitic Infections, Eosinophilia, and Th1/Th2 Immune Profiles in Haemodialysis Patients.

Abstract

Patients undergoing haemodialysis are known to have compromised immune function, which can increase their susceptibility to infections, including intestinal parasitic diseases. These infections can manifest more severely in this population. Typically, the immune response to parasitic infections involves a shift from a Th1-dominant response-more effective against intracellular pathogens-to a Th2-dominant response, which promotes eosinophilia and IgE production. Participants were categorised into eosinophilic and non-eosinophilic groups based on eosinophil counts (< 10 cells/mL). T-bet and GATA-3 gene expressions were quantified using SYBR Green real-time PCR. The overall prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections was 11.9%, including Blastocystis hominis (5.9%), Endolimax nana (3.7%), Entamoeba coli (1.5%), and Giardia lamblia (0.7%). A significant association was found between parasitic infections and eosinophilia (p = 0.01). No significant difference in IgE levels was observed between the two groups. GATA-3 expression was significantly higher in eosinophilic patients compared to non-eosinophilic ones within the 90% confidence interval. A negative correlation was identified between eosinophil count and GATA-3 expression (r = -0.37, p = 0.05). Haemodialysis patients exhibit disruptions in both humoral and cellular immune responses. Further research is necessary to elucidate the role of eosinophilia and Th1/Th2 balance biomarkers in the diagnosis and prognosis of mortality risk among this population.