Evaluating the Role of Interleukin-9 in Cholelithiasis patients and Determine Prevalence of Fasiola Hepatica among these Patients

Abstract

Background : Fascioliasis is a parasitic infection typically caused by Fasciola hepatica, which is also known as “the common liver fluke” or “the sheep liver fluke. People usually become infected by eating raw watercress or other water plants contaminated with immature parasite larvae. Aim of study: To determining the epidemiological prevalence of Liver fluke (Fasciola hepatica) in patients suffering from gallstones and  assessment of serum concentrations of immunological marker IL-9 in these patients and control groups by ELISA technique. Methodology: Case control study design, included 140 participants, 70 of them included as cases (suffered from Cholelithiasis), and 70 of them included as controls. History of the study was from beginning of October 2023 to end of January 2024, all participants were attending to Al-Sader Medical City/Digestive System Unit, Al-Hakeem Hospital and Al-Haidarya  Hospital. Two samples (stool and 5 ml serum) were taken from each participant for microscopic detection of F.hepatica and for measure some immune parameters by ELISA, respectively. Results: It was found that there is a statistically significant difference between patients with liver fluke (fasciola hepatica), where the percentage of patients with liver fluke (f. hepatica) was 10%. Only 90% of participants suffering from gallstones were negative for this parasite. There was statistically significant (p-value= 0.0001), increase in mean concentration of the parameter (IL-9,) between the two groups of patients (105.62±38.22 pg/ml, ml) and the control (38.86±10.1pg/ml,) respectively. And there was a known increase in the mean concentration of immune parameters in the serum of patients infected with the parasite (, IL-9: 193.79±13.59 pg/ml,) compared to their concentration in patients not infected with the parasite. Conclusions: Only 10% of 90% of Cholelithiasis patients in the immediate study were diagnosed positive for F.hepatica parasite. Majority of  risk factor for gallstones disease was obesity in the current study,  57% suffering from obesity. There was increased in study parameters (, IL-9,) significantly in group of cholelithiasis patients other than control group.