parasitological study on the use of biotherapeutic yeast in the treatment of Schistosoma mansoni infected mice

ABSTRACT

Infection with Schistosoma mansoni induces humoral and T cell mediated responses and leads to a delayed hypersensitivity that result in granulomatous inflammatory disease around the parasite eggs. The nonpathogenic Saccharomyces species have potential as an exogenously administered agent for maintaining colonization resistance during antibiotic therapy, preventing diarrhea and other gastrointestinal diseases as well as its antagonistic activity [in vitro and in vivo] against various bacterial pathogens. Saccharomyces boulardii exerts its immunoprotective effect through the secretion of immunoglobulins. In this work the antibilharzial effect of S. boulardii and Saccharomyces cerevisiae was studied. Both yeast products were given orally to mice for 21 days before infection. Their effects on worm burden, egg count, fecundity and granuloma diameter were elucidated. Both were effective in reducing worm burden and egg count resulting in a significant decrease in granuloma diameter. The obtained data show that S. cerevisiae gave more potent effects on S. mansoni parasitism than S. boulardii