Several Immunological Parameters in Rabbit Kittens Born to S. japonicum-Infected Mothers

Abdel-Moneim Salim, Alaa Bassioni Ismael

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Faculty of Applied Medical Science, Department of Medical Microbiology, Taif University, Turaba Branch, Taif, Saudi Arabia.

DOI: 10.4236/oji.2014.43011                

Abstract

In this study we explored the rabbit as an animal model for the congenital infection of schistosomiasis japonica and assessed the effect of a congenital S. japonicum infection on the resistance of rabbit kittens to a postnatal challenge infection. Kittens were challenged 17-19 weeks after the primary infection of their mothers. Perfusion was undertaken six weeks after the challenge. At this time parasitological, pathological and immunological parameters, worm reduction rate, granuloma size reduction rate, egg reduction rate, IgG and IgM responses were assessed and compared to that of kittens born to un-infected mothers. The overall prevalence of congenital infection in kittens of infected mothers was 20% (12/60). After a postnatal challenge infection, prenatally infected kittens had a 54.66% worm reduction rate, 41.45% egg reduction rate, and 51.76% granuloma size reduction rate compared to naive kittens. Congenital infection decreases the IgM responses by 39.47% while it increases the IgG responses by 56.22%. Together, these results indicate that congenital infection induce long-term effects on pathology and immune response patterns in rabbits’ subsequently challenge with S. japonicum cercariae.

Keywords

Congenital Infection, Rabbits, S. japonicum

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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