Preliminary Investigation on Immune Response of Schistosoma Mansoni in Grivet Monkeys (Cercopithecus Aethiops Aethiops) Infected with Different Cercarial Doses
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Date
2006-07
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
In order to evaluate grivet monkey (Cercopithecus aethiops aethiops) as an
animal model for the immune response of mansonian schistosomiasis, groups of three or four grivet monkeys were exposed individually to 100, 200, and 300 cercariae per monkey. Infection and clinical manifestations were observed; EPG of stool was determined and different cytokines (IL-12, IFN- , TNF- , IL-4 and IL-10) were measured. Infected monkeys began to release eggs 7 weeks post infection. Most of them became ill 7 to 9 weeks after initial exposure and exhibit most of the clinical manifestations typical of human acute schistosomiasis. The fecal egg count confirmed there is significant (P<0.05) variation between groups in terms of numbers of eggs released in stools, where the group that receives the lowest cercariae dose exhibiting the highest egg output. There was a significant difference in the level of cytokine production between those infected and the controls. Th1 cytokine (IL-12, INF-gamma, and TNF-alpha) levels reached their highest before their Th2 counter part (IL-4). Cytokine levels, however, were not found to be dose-dependent as anticipated. Comparison of this study with studies on related primates suggests that grivet monkey closely resemble the baboons in their immune response to Schistosoma mansoni infections. Thus, this work may underline the potential of the grivet monkey to provide a cheaper, more readily available primate model for the study of the immune response and the acute stage of infection by S. mansoni
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Schistosoma Mansoni in Grivet Monkeys (Cercopithecus Aethiops Aethiops)