Effect of mercury on the immune response and mean intensity of Hymenolepis Nana infection in mice

ABSTRACT

The effect of mercury on selected immunological parameters was studied in mice with experimental H. nana infection. T-lymphocytes and serum protein changes in mice treated for varying duration with mercuric chloride [HgCl2] and subsequently infected with 1000 H. nana eggs were compared with their counterpart controls an only treated and an only infected groups. Decreased values of T-lymphocytes beta and gamma globulins in the mercury-treated control group indicate suppression of immune response by mercury. The subsequent infection of HgCl2-intoxicated animals elevated the studied immunological parameters along with higher worm recoveries in comparison with infected non-intoxicated mice, but these immunological parameters remained significantly suppressed