Pathological changes in mice vaccinated with swap, challenged and treated with praziquantel

ABSTRACT

Not only SWAP vaccinated mice and challenged with Schistosoma mansoni cercaria [100 +/- 20 / mouse] showed a significantly decrease in worm burden of perfused vaccinated mice compared with control non vaccinated infected mice, but also minimized the size and number of granuloma in different tissues [intestine, spleen and liver] compared with infected control. Praziquantel therapy showed a significant decrease in egg granuloma size and number in the intestine but the liver showed less significant decrease in egg granuloma size and number. This observation may aggravate hepatic fibrosis, especially if some worms are still viable and shift to the liver due to partial drug resistance and/or incomplete therapy. These data may guide and recommend follow up and repeat therapeutic dose to surely kill and prevent worms from shift to the liver. There is a synergism between drug therapy and vaccination, which showed marked decrease in egg granuloma size and number in the liver, while the intestine was nearly cured. Finally SWAP vaccinated mice showed a partial protection due to acquired immunity but the mice are still susceptible to infection with Schistosoma