The effect of zinc supplementation in experimentally induced Toxoplasma gondii infection
Tasçi, S.; Sengil, A.Z.; Altindis, M.; Arisoy, K.
Journal of the Egyptian Society of Parasitology 25(3): 745-751
1995
ISSN/ISBN: 1110-0583 PMID: 8586868 Document Number: 453708
The effect of zinc added diet on cellular immunity in toxoplasmosis was investigated on 50 male wistar albino rats. Total lymphocyte CB8 count were found higher in the infected group when compared to the control group (P < 0.001). The relative increase of CD8 was found to be responsible for the decrease in ratio. In the infected group, there was a slight decrease in CD4 count but it was statistically insignificant. While no significant differences in serum zinc level were observed between the groups, there was a positive correlation with CD8 count in infected group (r = 0.005, P < 0.05). As a result, zinc added diet in toxoplasmosis stimulated the cellular immunity, increased CD8 and total lymphocytes.