Preliminary studies on Immunopathogenesis of S. mansoni in Grivet monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops) Vaccinated with 20Krad Irradiated S. mansoni cercariae
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Date
2005-01
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
In this study, we established S. mansoni infection in the primates, Cercopithecus aethiops
aethiops (Grivet monkeys). Most of the clinical manifestations in human schistosomiasis like
fever, bloody diarrhea, loss of appetite, and swollen lymph nodes were noted in the
experimentally infected monkeys. Due to the absence of the appropriate animal models, there is
little understanding of immune-response development in schistosomiasis, which has created a
challenge for designing an effective anti-schistosome vaccine. Repeated intraperitonial
immunization of the monkeys with 20Krad irradiated S. mansoni cercariae resulted in a relatively
less granulomatous reaction and EPG (P<0.05) than in the controls. The difference in the total
adult worms is statistically not significant (P>0.05) between both groups of monkeys. In primary
infection, IL-4 was significantly (p = 0.03) raised in the immunized monkeys, and for the same
group an insignificant (P > 0.05) increases in IL-10. However, ova excretion did not have an
influence on cytokines, except for the controls both IL-4 and IL-10 are significantly increased (p
< 0.05). Both IL-12 and INF- levels were lower after ova excretion in the controls, but the
inflammatory TNF- has increased (P = 0.049) and these can be associated with more liver
pathogenesis in the group. The immunization has minimized egg production and the development
of granuloma in the liver of Grivet monkeys. Thus, this work has underlined the potential
importance of the monkeys as the helpful models and provided a direction for research studies of
drugs or anti-schistosome vaccines.
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Biology