Increased establishment and longevity of Nippostrongylus brasiliensis in immune rats given repeated small infections

doi:10.1016/0020-7519(72)90038-0

International Journal for Parasitology

Volume 2, Issue 1, March 1972, Pages 105-111

https://doi.org/10.1016/0020-7519(72)90038-0 Get rights and content

Abstract

Jenkins D. C. and Phillipson R. F., 1972. Increased establishment and longevity of Nippostrongylus brasiliensis in immune rats given repeated small infections. International journal for Parasitology, 2: 105–111. Rats that were previously immunized with a heavy primary infection of Nippostrongylus brasiliensis acquired a moderately heavy secondary worm burden when they were exposed to a low-level trickle infection over a period of weeks. The secondary worms were morphologically distinct from ‘normal’ primary infection worms and were able to remain within the host for over 3 months. The presence or absence of residual primary infection worms had little effect on the rate of establishment of the secondary worm burden.

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The purpose of this work was to prove that worms, which develop by trickle infection in previously immunized rats, adapt to and are able to withstand the effects of host immunity. This was accomplished by comparing the fate of normal with adapted adult worms after transfer both into immune and into previously uninfected rats.
When transferred into immune rats, the normal worms were rapidly expelled but the adapted worms established themselves in the host intestine and produced normal viable eggs. This indicates either that the adapted worms failed to stimulate the host's acquired immunity or that they were not affected by it.
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International Journal for Parasitology

Abstract

References (7)

Immunological unresponsiveness in adult rats to the nematode Nippostrongylus brasiliensis induced by infection in early life

Nature

The kinetics of repeated low-level infections of Nippostrongylus brasiliensis in the laboratory rat

Parasitology

Induction of immunological tolerance in rats to Nippostrongylus brasiliensis infection

Parasitology

Cited by (15)

The dynamics of trickle infections with Heligmosomoides polygyrus in syngeneic strains of mice

The protective mucosal response against gastrointestinal nematodes in ruminants and laboratory animals

Evidence that the nematode Nippostrongylus brasiliensis can adapt to and overcome the effects of host immunity

Examination of Horizontal Transmission of Nippostrongylus brasiliensis in Mice to Assess Biosecurity Risks

Parasite responses to large mammal loss in an African savanna

Immunological responses elicited by different infection regimes with Strongyloides ratti