Investigation of the relationship between lymphocyte subsets and intestinal parasites

Intestinal parasitic infections are considered as a serious public health problem throughout the world particularly in developing countries including our country. Parasitic infections are generally asymptomatic. Although parasitic infection itself is not commonly lethal, may cause of the morbidity and mortality in case of suppression of the immune system. The cancer can weaken the whole immune system, particularly in cellular immünity. Although intestinal parasitic infections in immunocompromised individuals have been shown to prevalence in our country and the world, the underlying factors remain unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between T cell (CD3+), helper T (Th) (CD3+ CD4+) and cytotoxic T (Tc) (CD4+ CD8+) cell, B cell (CD19+) and natural killer (NK) cell (CD16+56+) levels and the incidence of intestinal parasitosis in immunosuppressed patients due to cancer and/or chemotherapy. Two hundred one cancer patients aged 27 and over were included. Stool samples of the patients were examined with Native-Lugol, Giemsa, Modified Trichrome, Acid Fast Trichrome and Calcofluor White staining methods. Microsporidia and Cryptosporidium parvum were investigated at the genus and species levels by PCR. Lymphocyte subgroups were determined by flow cytometry in blood samples. One or more parasite species were detected in 115 patients (56.7%). The most common parasite species is Microsporidia 25.37%, Blastocystis 23.38% and E. coli 13.93%. The frequency of parasites was high in patients with low lymphocyte percentage, T lymphocyte and Th lymphocyte levels in blood samples studied by flow cytometry. Microsporidia infection was significantly higher in patients with low lymphocyte percentage and Th cell levels. Similarly, C. parvum infection was found to be significantly higher in patients with low T lymphocyte percentage and Th cell level. Finally, Blastocystis infection was significantly higher in patients with low lymphocyte percentage and CD4/CD8 ratio greater than 1. The decrease in lymphocyte percentage, T lymphocyte and Th cell count and elevated CD4 / CD8 ratio in cancer patients increase the frequency of intestinal parasitic infections. Opportunistic intestinal parasite infections can affect the clinical course of the disease, and we recommend that physicians should consider this situation, especially during the follow-up and treatment of cancer patients.