ABSTRACT
To explore the role of Schistosoma mansoni infection in the prevention of autoimmune mediated insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, the study examined the effects of multiple low doses of the pancreatic islets beta cell toxin, streptozotocin STZ [40 mg/kg] body weight i.p., given eight weeks post infection period of S. mansoni egg deposition on S. mansoni infected C57BL/6J mice in comparison to non-infected STZ given group. G IV was the control group. Mice treated with STZ [G III] became gradually hyperglycemic reaching the highest level on day 17 post STZ. S. Mansoni infection [G II] significantly reduced the elevation in blood glucose levels from day seven post STZ onwards. Morphologic examination of pancreas on day 21 post STZ revealed that the non-infected STZ [G III] given mice had significantly smaller mean islets area and significantly fewer mean number of beta cells/islets. Pancreatic tissue revealed also focal degeneration in the cells of islets of Langerhans in the non-infected STZ given mice [G III] in comparison to the infected STZ given group [G II], which had much less evident cells degeneration