Abstract

Adenosine deaminase (ADA) is an essential enzyme in the monocytes - macrophage system and in the proliferation and differentiation of lymphocytes. ADA activity is routinely used in the differentiation of other etiologies of tuberculosis pleurisy in clinical practice and elevated ADA levels are stated to indicate the severity of the disease. In this study the purpose was to compare the serum ADA levels between patients operated due to hydatid cyst and healthy individuals (control group). The serum ADA levels of surgically treated patient with hydatid cyst were analyzed and a significant decrease was observed in comparison with the control group (10.98±6.53 vs 21.11±14.07, p<0.05). Decreasing of ADA levels on surgical treated hydatid cyst patients can be interpreted as the inhibition of tissue damage or cessation of lymphocyte proliferation as a result of the elimination of the parasite by means of surgical treatment and breaking the relation between the parasite and immune cells of the host. Determination of ADA activity in hydatid cyst patients might be a diagnostic tool if further clinical trials are carried out.

Key words: Adenosine deaminase, hydatid cyst, operated patients.