Level of circulating steroid hormones in malaria and cutaneous leishmaniasis: a case control study

Abstract

Epidemiological and clinical studies have shown a great difference in the severity and prevalence of infectious diseases in men and women and various studies have shown that the key immunological factors are affected by sex-associated hormones. Considering the role of sex hormones in various infections, the current study aimed to determine the level of sex hormones in patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) and malaria and compare it with those of healthy controls. The survey was designed as a case-control study. Peripheral blood was collected from thirty male malaria patients, sixty patients (equal number of both sexes) with cutaneous leishmaniasis and ninety healthy subjects. Disease confirmations were done through microscopic examination of either peripheral blood smears, in case of malaria, or Giemsastained lesion imprint slides for CL. The level of testosterone, progesterone and estrogen were measured in malaria and CL patients along with healthy subjects, using an ELISA commercial kit. Age of participants was 18-35 years (mean 25.39 ± 4.70) for CL patients and 14-41 years (mean 27.63 ± 9.09) for malaria patients. Differences between the age of patients and the healthy subjects were insignificant. The level of testosterone in malaria patients (1.44 ± 0.12 ng/mL) was lower than control group (1.46 ± 0.06, ng/mL) but the differences were not statistically significant (p [ .05). The concentration of testosterone in CL patients (1.49 ± 0.03 ng/ mL) was higher than those of control group (1.46 ± 0.06 ng/ mL), and the difference was statistically significant (p = 0.05). Although the concentration of estrogen and progesterone in CL patients were lower than controls, still the differences were not statistically significant (p [ 0.05). Findings of the current study demonstrated a significant difference in the serum level of testosterone in CL patients in comparison with the healthy subjects whereas such difference was not seen in malaria patients.

Consequences of Type-2 diabetes mellitus and Malaria co-morbidity on sperm parameters in men; a case-control study in a district hospital in the Ashanti Region of Ghana

“…This observation is in agreement with two preclinical studies conducted by Ojezele et al [ 16 ] and Barthelemy et al [ 20 ]. Findings of a case-control study conducted by Esfandiari et al on the level of circulating steroid hormones in malaria and cutaneous leishmaniasis infections also revealed low testosterone levels in the malaria-infected group when compared to the control population [ 21 ].…”

“…Using the WHO laboratory manual [ 21 ] for the examination and processing of human semen, 2021, participants were advised to abstain from sexual intercourse for about two [ 2 ] to seven [ 7 ] days before semen sample collection. Before semen sample collection, participants were advised to observe all hygienic protocols in order not to contaminate the sample.…”

Influence of sex hormones on the immune response to leishmaniasis

“…Thus, different hormone levels between the sexes may modulate immune responses and determine increased vulnerability to infectious and parasitic diseases. 20…”

“…17 Thus, it is considered that sex hormones, oestrogens and androgens and their lipophilic characteristics are directly involved in innate and adaptive immune regulation, thus determining the pathogenicity, virulence and clinical evolution of infectious and parasitic diseases such as the leishmaniases. [18][19][20] Nevertheless, the effect of sex hormones on the functions of practically all types of immune cells is the subject of several investigations. 21 It has been demonstrated, for example, that the presence of estrogenic receptors in several cells of the mice immune system and the presence of androgen receptors in T and B cells 22 of these animals.…”