Interleukin 4 (IL-4) in Urinary Schistosomiasis as a Diagnostic Biomarker During Its Reinfection- A Review

Abstract

Urinary schistosomiasis is caused by Schistosoma heamatobium worm and it is most common source of haematuria (blood in urine) worldwide. This disease has long been recognized as serious public health to man especially in countries like Nigeria, Egypt, with currently more than 790 million people at risk. Since IL-4 stimulates IgE production, the hypothesis that Helper T cell 2 (Th2) associated with cell immunity participate in protection to reinfection in an anti-inflammatory dichotomy manner. IL-4 confers proliferation of T cells, induction of class switching immunoglobulins and also serve as a biomarker in co association with IL-5 for (Th2). The aim of this review paper is to simplify the immunological mechanism that happens when Schistosome worm elicit strong humoral and cellular response in definite host.