Immunoglobulin E and G4 antibodies in cysticercosis

The importance of immunoglobulin G (IgG) subclass responses in different infections has been elucidated for a number of organisms, but few parasitic organisms have been examined in this regard. In the current study, quantitative radioimmunoassays were used to examine the IgE and IgG4 subclass responses to larval Taenia solium. Patients were divided into clinically infected (CI) and probably uninfected (PU) groups. Unexposed normal subjects were used as controls. The CI group had elevated geometric mean levels of total IgE in serum (28.6 IU/ml) and specific IgG4 antibodies (438.8 arbitrary units [AU]/ml) compared with controls (8.3 IU/ml and 50.1 AU/ml, respectively). The CI group also had significantly elevated levels in cerebrospinal fluid of total IgG4 (18.6 micrograms/ml) and specific IgG4 antibodies (86.0 AU/ml) compared with the PU group (2.5 micrograms/ml and 1.6 AU/ml, respectively). There was no specific IgE antibody response detected in either the CI or PU patient group. The marked IgG4 response of CI patients to T. solium merits further investigation.