Objective: Schistosomiasis is a debilitating disease that affects 200 million people worldwide. Schistosoma haematobium and Schistosoma mansoni are the major causative agents of this disease. Cancer-association and infertility-association in Schistosoma haematobium infection have already been described and it is known that the parasite produces a catechol-estrogen molecule that induces a hormonal imbalance in the host.
Methods: In order to better understand the relation of hormonal imbalance in experimental Schistosoma mansoni infection, we investigated a serum panel of steroid hormones in Schistosoma mansoni infected hamsters.
Results: We found a decrease in the serum levels of Estradiol (E2), Testosterone and Progesterone in infected females and an increase of Testosterone and a decrease in Progesterone in infected males in comparison with controls.
Conclusion: These results indicate that S. mansoni alters the levels of steroid hormones in infected males and females and it will increase the repertoire of data about the host-parasite molecular interplay and its relation with the endocrine system.
Keywords: Schistosoma mansoni infection; Steroid hormones; estradiol; host-parasite interaction; infertility; progesterone; testosterone..
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