Monitoring the cytogenetic consequences of tick-borne encephalitis occurring with opisthorchiasis invasion due to glutathione-S-transferase gene polymorphisms GSTM1 and GSTTA1

Objective. To investigate the duration of the preserved cytogenetic consequences of acute tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in patients having background chronic infection with Opisthorchis felineus according to the polymorphism of glutathione-S-transferase enzyme genes. Subjects and methods. The investigation enrolled 103 patients with TBE having background chronic opisthorchiasis (CO), 74 TBE patients without CO, 78 patients with CO, and 75 healthy donors, in whom a T lymphocyte cytokinesis-blocked micronucleus assay was performed and the GSTM1 and GSTT1 gene variants were determined using PCR. Results. The levels of lymphocytes with micronuclei (MN) in TBE patients with CO were significantly lower than in those without CO. However, in these patients, unlike the other groups, the number of cells with MN did not decrease to the control level within 6 months (a follow-up period). In this group, no relationship could be either established between the level of lymphocytes with MN and the polymorphism of the glutathione-S-transferase enzyme genes. Conclusion. The elevated levels of cytogenetic abnormalities in TBE patients with CO persist longer than in those without CO, which allows them to be identified as a group at risk of developing immunodeficiency and complications.

GSTM1, GSTT1, tick-borne encephalitis, opisthorchiasis, micronuclear assay, glutathione-S-transferase, GSTM1, GSTT1, gene polymorphism