Abstract

AN ASSESSMENT OF IMMUNOLOGICAL PARAMETERS ASSOCIATED WITH TYPHOID FEVER AMONG DISPLACED IRAQI PATIENTS

*Mohemid Maddallah Al-Jebouri, Dheyaa Salih Mahdi

ABSTRACT

Background: Migration and/or displacement are processes of social change during which a person moves from one cultural setting to another in order to settle for a longer period of time or permanently. This harsh change might lead to various social and pathophysiological disorders including immunological and infectious diseases such typhoid fever and allergy. Aim: The present work was an attempt to assess the effect of migration and / displacement which might lead to pathophysiological, immunological, social as well as psycological disorders including infectious diseases and allergy among displaced Iraqi peoples. Materials and Methods: 50 feverish patients were selected for typhoid investigation and related immunological parameters such as complement-C5a, TNF-α, serum globulin, serum albumen and serum total protein; liver function tests were also tested along with eosinophils. Widal test and culture needed for Salmonella typhi and Salmonella paratyphi’sfollowing conventional technology. Results: More than 30% of the patients showed an elevation of C5a and 60% of them were TNF-α increased. Serum globulin was elevated in almost 40% of the subjects studied whereas total protein increased among 4% of the patients only. Alkaline phosphatase elevated in almost 20% of the patients tested. Half of the patients showed positive Widal tests. Conclusions: Patients showed high elevations in eosinophils and C5a. Culture and TNF-α were the most reproducible for typhoid fever.

Keywords: Iraq, displacement, typhoid, TNF-?, C5a, albumen, globulin, LFT.