Lipid profile of subjects infected with Schistosoma Haematobium in South-Western Nigeria

Objectives: to determine the plasma concentrations of total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (hdl-c) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (ldl-c) in schistosoma haematobium- infected subjects and healthy persons.methodology: the plasma concentration of lipids and the fractions with the urine microscopy of one hundred(ioo) subjects who had evidence of schistosomiasis, selected from i lie, a rural area in osun state, nigeria and one hundred (100) healthy controls selected randomly in osogbo, an urban centre in osun state, nigeria were determined. results: the age of the subjects ranged between 7-13 years with mean+sd of 11.00 (± 1.69) years and 10.5 (± 2.01) years for test subjects and controls respectively. the mean plasma concentration of triglyceride, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol (hdl-c) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (ldl-c) were significantly lower among s. haematobium-infected subjects than in controls irrespective of the age and sex (p<0.01). conclusion: significantly lower plasma lipid levels found in infected subjects lend support to the hypothesis that schistosome eggs probably contribute to alteration of lipid profile through enhancing of ldl-uptake by macrophages.