Effect of repeated infection in experimental hepatic schistosomiasis [light and electronic microscopic study

ABSTRACT

The effect of repeated infection with Schistosoma mansoni was studied in an experimental model of 114 albino mice. Infected mice with 60 and 120 cercarcia were sacrificed simultaneously with control groups at different intervals from infection and reinfection. Repeated infection increased the susceptibility of the liver to fibrosis earlier compared to control groups. Reinfection at 8 weeks interval from 1[st] infection disclosed increase in granuloma formation and subsequent fibrous tissue deposition compared to reinfection mice at 2 and 4 weeks interval from 1st infection and sacrificed at simultaneously similar date from first infection. This study showed also that the liver of mice infected with 120 cercaria showed many degenerative manifestations with increased degree of fibrosis and apparent disturbance of architecture in comparison to mice infected with 60 cercaria