| pubmed-article:1382747 | pubmed:abstractText | We have shown that Echinococcus granulosus infection can induce an enhanced sensitivity of basophils to IgE-dependent stimuli. To determine whether a cytokine, histamine releasing factor, could account for it, we evaluated 35 patients with active hydatidosis, 5 patients with past E. granulosus infection, and 20 normal volunteers. The spontaneous production of a factor in vitro that provoked the release of histamine from basophils was observed by mononuclear cells from patients with active disease, but not by those from subjects with past infection or from normal individuals. The histamine releasing factor was found to activate basophils through surface-bound IgE. It is concluded that E. granulosus infection induces both generation of histamine releasing factor and production of IgE that can bind this cytokine. | lld:pubmed |
