Schistosoma mansoni: production of tumour necrosis factor [TNF] in experimentally infected mice

TNF has been proposed as one of the macrophage derived cytotoxins, so the present work aimed at studying the influence of the different stages of Schistosoma mansoni life cycle on the active secretion of TNF by stimulated macrophages in mice. The results revealed that infection with S. mansoni induced a high significant increase in the TNF production at one week, one and two months of infection compared to normal controls. TNF production of one month infected group was significantly reduced in comparison with the one-week infected group. Two months after infection with S. mansoni insignificant increase in the TNF production was observed, coin-pared to that of the one-week infected group, and significantly increased with respect to the group of one-month post-infectior

Capillaria hepatica: an experimental study of infection in white mice

C. hepatica were found in 15.8% of wild caught rats. Experimental studies showed that the host reaction started specifically against developing worm as early as the 9th day post infection. Eggs started to develop inside uterus in the 3rd week P.I. The second month of infection was the maximum growth and activity of worm, egglying, severe liver destruction and necrosis, degeneration, granuloma formation as well as the greatest humoral and celular responces of the host. By the third month P.I., there was a gradual increase of the fibroblastic activity around the already formed granuloma and a decrease of antibody level in peripheral blood. Areas of hepatic regeneration started between the fibrotic granulomas and the liver enzymatic reactions returned gradually to their normal levels. Viable eggs were seen until the eighth month of infection free or surrounded by fibrous tissue