Soluble adhesion molecules as a marker of disease severity in human fascioliasis

Fasciola gigantica is one of the parasites which affect the liver by producing biliary tract lumen syndrome. Soluble adhesion molecules namely soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and soluble E-selection (sELAM-1) were assayed in human fascioliasis cases with or without complications. It was found that sICAM-1 and sELAM-1 were significantly increases in complicated cases more than the control group, while only sICAM-1 was significantly increased in complicated cases more than non complicated ones. However, non of both soluble adhesion molecules were significantly elevated in non complicated cases as compared to controls suggesting that sICAM-1 is a useful marker for differentiation between complicated and non complicated cases of human fascioliasis.