Parasitological, pathological, ultrastructural study of the effect of pentoxyifylline [PTX] anti-transforming growth factor beta [TGF beta] on S. inansoni infected mice

The main problem in schistosomal hepatic morbidity is fibrosis and extensive scarring induced by living eggs. The potential that pentoxifyllin [PTX] and anti-transforming growth factor- beta [anti-TGF beta] are anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic, urged us to study these effects parasitologically, pathologically and ultrastructurally in a murine model of schistosomiasis mansoni. Sixty albino mice were infected by subcutaneous injection of 80 +/- 20 S. mansoni cercariae/mouse. They were divided into two groups. Each group was subdivided and treated with PTX or anti- TGF beta for 3 weeks either at 4 weeks post infection [P.I] [1[St] group, acute phase] or at 12 weeks P.1. [2[nd] group, chronic phase]. Mice were sacrificed by the end of treatment [i.e. 7 and 15 weeks P.I. respectively]. A subgroup in each served as infected untreated controls. Parasitological assessment of worm burden, tissue egg load and oogram pattern was carried out. Measurement of granuloma diameter and ultrastructure of adult worms were also investigated. The study revealed decrease in the mean size of granuloma in mice treated with PTX and significant reduction in worm burden in all groups as compared to control group. Tissue egg load also significantly decreased, but no significant changes were observed in oogram pattern except an increase in number of dead ova in groups given anti- TGF beta 15 weeks following infection. Scanning electron microscopic examination of both male and female worms exposed to PTX treatment revealed tegumental changes in comparison to the control group. In conclusion effect of both PTX, anti. TGP beta regarding modulation of hepatic granulomas. Moreover it highlights thier role in produsing significant decrease in percent reduction of worm burden, egg load and increase dead ova

Intraperitoneal injection of echinostome antigens confers resistance to schistosomal infection in murine model

The effect of immunization protocol against S. mansoni infection with purified metacercarial antigen from E. liel alone or combined with BCG on resistance to S. mansoni infection and associated immunoparasitological changes in murine experimental model was studied. The results revealed highly significant reduction in worm burden and hepatic and intestinal tissue egg loads were observed on comparing the two immunized groups [purified metacercarial antigen alone or purified metacercarial antigen plus BCG] with the infected control group [p> 0.001]. Moreover the greatest reduction in the worm burden was observed in group injected with purified metacercarial antigen pluse BCG. A significant reduction [p> 0.001] was observed in granuloma diameter in the two immunized groups relative to infected control. However, the greatest reduction in granuloma diameter was noticed in group II [purified metacercarial antigen pluse BCG]. No significant difference was observed in granuloma diameter berween the two immunized groups. Anti-SEA serum specific immunoglobulins in group I and group II showed a significant increase in both IgG and IgM [p> 0.05] compared to the infected control group. A higher significant increase was found in the specific immunoglobulin isotype IgGI [p> 0.001] in both group I and II compared to infected control group. In conclusion, our findings showed that multiple intraperitoneal adminestration of purified metacercarial antigen induce highly significant reduction in worm burden, hepatic and intestinal tissue egg loads and granuloma size 8 weeks post infection

Immunological studies on a bivalent inactivated oil adjuvanted vaccine against turkey rhinotracheitis virus and pasteurella multocida

The immunogenecity of combined Turkey RhinoTrachitis Virus [TRTV] and Pasterella multocida inactivated oil emulsion vaccine were evaluated in comparison to both the monovalent [TRT] and [P. Multoocida] vaccines. Sixty turkeys poults were divided into four groups, group 1, 2, and 3 were vaccinated with [TRTV], Pasterella multocida and combined [TRTV + Pasterella multocida] vaccines respectively while group 4 was kept as non vaccinated control, obtained results of cellular [Detected by lypmphocyte blastogenesis assay] and Humoral [Detected by indirect haemagglutination IHA, Enzyme linked Immuno Sorbant assay ELISA, and Serum neutralization test S.N.T] immune responses of experimentally vaccinated poults revealed that 2 successive doses of the prepared vaccines with 21 days apart produce protective immune response started at 3 weeks post vaccination and lasted for 12 weeks covering the whole fattening period