[Quantitative estimation of cationic leukocyte antigen (cla) and lysozyme in leukaemic leukocytes (author's transl)]

Eosinophils, eosinophil cationic protein and eosinophil-derived neurotoxin in serum and urine of patients with onchocerciasis coinfected with intestinal nematodes and in urinary schistosomiasis

Eosinophils, eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), eosinophil-derived neurotoxin (EDN/EPX), myeloperoxidase (MPO) and IgE were measured in blood, serum and/or urine in Schistosoma haematobium- and Onchocerca volvulus-infected Guineans and O. volvulus- and S. haematobium-negative Guineans coinfected or infected with intestinal nematodes. The number of eosinophils and levels of eosinophil granule proteins but not of MPO were found to be strongly elevated in all Africans as compared to European controls. The highest serum ECP and serum and urinary EDN/EPX levels were observed in the hyperreactive form of onchocerciasis (sowda). Onchocerciasis patients and O. volvulus-negative Africans coinfected or infected with intestinal nematodes (hookworm and/or Ascaris lumbricoides) revealed higher serum granule protein concentrations and/or absolute eosinophil counts and urinary ECP than those without nematode infections. Statistical differences between both sections were found for the absolute eosinophil counts and for serum EDN/EPX and IgE in generalized onchocerciasis, and for urinary ECP in sowda, indicating stimulation of the eosinophil potential of O. volvulus-positive patients by coexistent hookworm infection. This worm species, in contrast to A. lumbricoides, causes especially high eosinophil counts and EDN/EPX and IgE levels. From these results it is concluded that in nematode diseases, ECP and EDN/EPX levels reflect the degree of antigenic stimulation, eosinophil activation and eosinophil turnover rates. Serum ECP and serum and urinary EDN/EPX may, therefore, serve as parameters to monitor helminth infection. Urinary ECP may be a marker of eosinophiluria secondary to urogenital manifestation of S. haematobium. It is elevated in hyperreactive onchocerciasis activated by intestinal nematodes.

Improved Randolph stain for direct leukocyte differentiation and determination of total eosinophil count in a hemocytometer

Identification and quantification of eosinophilic granulocytes are commonly performed indirectly by total leukocyte count and white cell differentiation in smears or cytocentrifuge preparations. Using a combination of four dyes, phloxine, Biebrich scarlet, methylene blue, and crystal violet, at 50-800 micrograms/ml, we have substantially improved an earlier method for differentiating leukocytes in a hemocytometer. This direct method allowed a rapid and reliable enumeration of eosinophils and their differentiation from neutrophils, lymphocytes and monocytes in peripheral blood and leukocyte fractions. The results obtained using this stain correlated with the leukocyte counts calculated from May-Grünwald-Giemsa stained smears in 100 patients with eosinophilia of various etiologies (r = 0.95; p < 0.01). This simple method is a useful improvement for eosinophil enumeration in field studies and biological experiments where the purity of cell suspensions must be evaluated without delay. The method cannot be substituted for the commonly used indirect technique which also allows the identification of other leukocyte lineages and their precursors.