ArticlePloS one2019
Levels of serum eosinophil cationic protein are associated with hookworm infection and intensity in endemic communities in Ghana.
Article in PloS one, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 13 citations in OpenAlex.
- Prevalence and effect of Plasmodium spp. and hookworm co-infection on malaria parasite density and haemoglobin level: a meta-analysis.Scientific reports · 2022Pooled it
- An update on non-invasive urine diagnostics for human-infecting parasitic helminths: what more could be done and how?Parasitology · 2020Pooled it
- Comparison Between Phenotypic Profile and Functional Aspects of IL-9-Producing Lymphocytes, Th17 and Tfh of Individuals From Endemic and Non-Endemic Areas for Hookworm Infection.Parasite immunology · 2026Article
- Host genetic background influences the severity of disease in Schistosoma haematobium infections.Parasite (Paris, France) · 2026Article
- Ribonucleases of Mice and Men: Unveiling the Roles of the RNase A Superfamily in Host Defence.Journal of immunology research · 2025Review
- Cationic proteins from eosinophils bind bone morphogenetic protein receptors promoting vascular calcification and atherogenesis.European heart journal · 2023Article
- Eosinophil Granule Proteins Involvement in Acute Appendicitis-An Allergic Disease?International journal of molecular sciences · 2023Article
- Review
- Assessing the role of eosinophil-mediated immune response markers in detecting hookworm infection: A case-control study in Kintampo, Ghana.Health science reports · 2022Article
- Article
- Intestinal eosinophils: multifaceted roles in tissue homeostasis and disease.Seminars in immunopathology · 2021Review
- Effect of hookworm infection and anthelmintic treatment on naturally acquired antibody responses against the GMZ2 malaria vaccine candidate and constituent antigens.BMC infectious diseases · 2021Article
- Hookworm treatment induces a decrease of suppressive regulatory T cell associated with a Th2 inflammatory response.PloS one · 2021Article
- Serum Eosinophil Cationic Protein in Urticaria Patients with Anti-Iranian journal of parasitologyArticle
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Authors and funding
7 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
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Abstract
backgroundThe eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) is a cytotoxic protein mainly secreted by eosinophils granulocytes and plays a role in host defense against parasitic infections. Infection with Necator americanus (hookworm) is traditionally diagnosed by the Kato-Katz method which is inherently tedious, subjective and known to underestimate infection intensity. This study aimed to assess levels of serum ECP in relation to hookworm infection intensity.
methodsStool samples from 984 (aged 4 to 80 years) participants in a cross-sectional study conducted in the Kintampo North Municipality of Ghana were examined using the Kato-Katz and formol-ether concentration methods. Serum ECP levels were measured by ECP assay kit and compared between 40 individuals infected with hookworm only, 63 with hookworm- Plasmodium falciparum co-infection, 59 with P. falciparum infection and 36 with no infection.
resultsHookworm infection prevalence was 18.1% (178/984). ECP levels were significantly higher in individuals infected with hookworm only (β = 2.96, 95%CI = 2.69, 3.23, p<0.001) or co-infected with P. falciparum (β = 3.15, 95%CI = 2.91, 3.39, p<0.001) compared to the negative control. Levels of ECP were similar between those with only P. falciparum infection and the uninfected control (p>0.05). Increased hookworm intensity was associated with a significant increase in ECP level (β = 4.45, 95%CI = 2.25, 9.11, rs = 0.193, n = 103, p<0.01). ECP threshold of 84.98ng/ml was associated with a positive predictive value (PPV) of 98% (95% CI = 92, 100), and negative predictive value (NPV) of 76% (95% CI = 62, 87) in classifying hookworm infection status with an AUROC of 96.3%.
conclusionSerum ECP level may be a good biomarker of hookworm infection and intensity and warrant further investigations to help improve current hookworm diagnosis.
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