Immunological Aspects of Trichomonas vaginalis Infection in Women Attending Maternity Teaching Hospital and Some Public Health Centers in Erbil Governorate, Northern Iraq

Abstract

Trichomonas vaginalis infection is one of the sexually transmitted diseases. It is a health problem all over the world, including Iraq. It has also been associated with adverse outcomes of pregnancy and increased risk of HIV. Trichomoniasis typically elicits aggressive local cellular immune responses with inflammation of the vaginal epithelium and exocervix in women and urethra in men. The present study was aimed to assess serum level of interferon gamma (IFN-γ), Interleukin 10 (IL-10), C-reactive protein, antiphospholipid, anticardiolipin antibodies with eosinophil count as well. Four hundred and forty women with ages ranging between 16 and 60 years old (average of 34.2 years) who attended Maternity Teaching Hospital and a number of public health centers in Erbil Governorate were screened for trichomoniasis by direct wet mount preparation and culture technique. Serum IFN-γ, IL-10, antiphospholipid, and anticardiolipin were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. C-reactive protein (CRP) and eosinophil count were assessed by I CROMA and Coulter, respectively. The results revealed that IL-10 level (96.46 ± 1.97 pg/ml vs. 91.86 ± 1.48 pg/ml), eosinophil count (0.1 ± 0.07 × 10³/μL vs. 0.1 ± 0.01 × 10³/μL), and CRP concentration (2.55 ± 0.74 mg/l vs. 2.27 ± 0.37 mg/l) were non-significantly (P > 0.05) changed in infected women in comparison with negative control group. However, serum IFN-γ level (484.83 ± 38.35 pg/ml vs. 372.15 ± 9.49 pg/ml) was significantly (P < 0.05) elevated in infected women in comparison to the control group. The results also revealed significant increase (P < 0.05) of antiphospholipid immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies (4.75 ± 0.3 U/ml vs. 3.79 ± 0.11 U/ml) in the sera of infected women, but antiphospholipid immunoglobulin M (IgM), anticardiolipin IgG, and anticardiolipin IgM antibodies were non-significantly altered in response to T. vaginalis infection.