Abstract：
The effects of co-infections with SARS-CoV-2 and parasitic diseases have been little investigated in terms of immune response, disease dynamics, and clinical outcomes. This study aimed to explore the impact of co-infection with Opisthorchis viverrini and SARS-CoV-2 on the immune response concerning clinical symptoms and the severity of pulmonary abnormalities. A cross-sectional study was conducted, including healthy participants as controls, participants with opisthorchiasis, SARS-CoV-2 infection, and a co-infection group with both diseases. Characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 infection were assessed based on clinical parameters and severity of pulmonary abnormalities, whereas opisthorchiasis burden was evaluated by eggs-per-gram (EPG) counts. Immune responses were assessed by measuring levels of interferon-γ (IFN-γ), SARS-CoV-2 anti-spike receptor binding domain (RBD) IgG, and neutralizing antibody against SARS-CoV-2. In the co-infected group, clinical parameters and hospitalization rates were lower than in the SARS-CoV-2 group. Pulmonary abnormalities, such as bronchial fibrosis, were commonly observed in the SARS-CoV-2 group, leading to hospitalization in some cases. Participants with opisthorchiasis had higher IFN-γ levels than healthy individuals. IFN-γ levels were significantly lower in the co-infection group compared with the SARS-CoV-2 group (P = 0.002). There was a significant (P = 0.044) positive correlation between RBD-specific IgG and percent neutralization levels in the SARS-CoV-2 group. Levels of both were somewhat lower (not statistically significant) in the co-infection group. A negative correlation was observed between opisthorchiasis burden (EPG counts) and IFN-γ and RBD-specific IgG levels in the co-infected group. Following vaccination, the increase in IgG levels against the RBD protein was significantly lower in the co-infected group than in the SARS-CoV-2 group. These results suggest that O. viverrini infection suppresses immune responses and may lead to a reduction in severity in cases of SARS-CoV-2 co-infection.
摘要：
SARS-CoV-2与寄生虫病共感染的影响在免疫反应方面的研究很少,疾病动力学，和临床结果。本研究旨在探讨Opisthorchisviverrini和SARS-CoV-2共同感染对有关临床症状和肺部异常严重程度的免疫反应的影响。进行了横断面研究，包括健康的参与者作为对照，患有opistorchiasis的参与者，SARS-CoV-2感染,以及两种疾病的共同感染组。根据临床参数和肺部异常的严重程度评估SARS-CoV-2感染的特征，而opishorchiasis负担是通过每克鸡蛋（EPG）计数来评估的。通过测量干扰素-γ（IFN-γ）的水平来评估免疫反应。SARS-CoV-2抗刺突受体结合域（RBD）IgG，和抗SARS-CoV-2的中和抗体。在共感染的群体中，临床参数和住院率低于SARS-CoV-2组。肺部异常,如支气管纤维化，通常在SARS-CoV-2组中观察到，在某些情况下导致住院。患有opisthorchiasis的参与者的IFN-γ水平高于健康个体。与SARS-CoV-2组相比，合并感染组的IFN-γ水平显着降低（P=0.002）。在SARS-CoV-2组中，RBD特异性IgG与中和水平百分比之间存在显着（P=0.044）正相关。在共感染组中，两者的水平均较低（无统计学意义）。在共感染组中，在opisthorchiasis病负荷（EPG计数）与IFN-γ和RBD特异性IgG水平之间观察到负相关。接种疫苗后，共感染组针对RBD蛋白的IgG水平升高显著低于SARS-CoV-2组.这些结果表明，O.viverrini感染会抑制免疫反应，并可能导致SARS-CoV-2共感染病例的严重程度降低。
