ABSTRACT
In Schistosomiasis, there is increasing evidence, in both human and murine models, that there is association between the idiotypic regultion and the immunopathology of the disease. The presence of dominant shared idiotypes across species had been described by both our laboratory and others. It is not clear, if this dominant idiotypes is a consequence of the immunopathology of egg deposition, or the presence of such dominant idiotypes direct the immunopathology, and consequently the morbidity of the disease. In this study, the presence of dominant idiotypes in the offsprings of S. mansoni-infected rats and their effects on the morbidity in subsequent infections have been evaluated. In the offsprings, the idiotypes levels were found to be in three levels; high, intermediate and low levels in comparison to the maternal and control level. All the groups were infected with 100 cercaria. The infection were confirmed by the presence of ova in stool examination after 8 weeks of infections. After 11 weeks of infections, rats stopped passing ova in their stools. Four weeks later, the rats were sacrificed and examined for pathology. Our data indicated that rat offsprings with high level of idiotypes showed maximum granulomatous reaction and egg deposition, while rat offsprings with low level of idiotypes showed minimum granulomatous reaction and egg deposition. Significance of our studies in the predicion of the prognosis of human schistosoma infection will be discussed. Supported by USAID/MOH Egypt, 263-0140.2 Project, SRP grant No 01-03-34