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Chemotherapy of parasitic infections and zoonotic helminthiasis in particular can be effective if the peculiarities of the parasite species specificities and the character of immunological condition of a host or groups of population of endemic foci are taken into account. The state of immunodepression and immune disregulation was found in migrants to a territory endemic for Opisthorchis felineus infection, suffering from acute and chronic stage of the disease. In aborigenes the signs of immunological tolerance were obvious. Hypersensitivity to praziquantel treatment in the former group and the good tolerance of the therapy in the latter were shown. The inhibitors of prostaglandins, especially in combination with mebendazole or albendazole, improved the tolerance of the treatment and enhanced parasitocidal effect. Low activity of interleukin-1, decreased level of interferon-alpha and almost normal level of gamma-interferon were found in patients with progressive course of hydatid disease with the lowering of these parameters after mebendazole therapy. In radically operated patients these parameters were normal. It seems that a higher level of gamma-interferon is needed for benign course of echinococcus infection, and recombinant gamma-interferon or inducers of this cytokine will be beneficial for the improvement of chemotherapy and prevention of relapses of the disease.

Principal trends in clinical immunological studies applied to the clinical picture and epidemiology of parasitic diseases are outlined. The author presents definitions of clinical and epidemiological immunology, describes their interrelation, gives reasons for false positive results from immunoepidemiological, mainly, serological observations.