Effect of immunomodulation on the course of experimental toxocariasis in mice.

Immunosuppressed groups treated with cortisone showed fulmination of Toxocara canis infection in terms of significant increase in brain parasitism, total larval count and significant decrease in the percentage reduction of the total count. Suppression of the host inflammatory responses was detected in the liver, lungs, brain and muscles. Accelerated transit of larvae through the liver was observed when cortisone was given before infection. Whether BCG was given before or after infection, it showed no significant changes regarding all criteria compared to the control group. Induction of diabetes, whether before or after infection, led to persistence of larvae in the liver, insignificant increase in brain and total larval parasitism and insignificant decrease in the percentage reduction of the total count.

Effect of immunomodulation on experimental hymenolepiasis nana in mice.

Oral infection of cortisone treated and diabetes induced groups of mice (immunosuppressed) with H. nana eggs, whether before or after infection, showed persistent hyperinfection of the gut with H. nana worms and cysticercoids, dissemination of cysticercoids to the liver and marked degenerative changes in the intestinal mucosa and liver. BCG treated groups (immunostimulated) whether before or after infection, showed no significant changes compared to the control group. Subcutaneous infection of mice resulted in severe localized cellular reaction around and infiltrating the injected H. nana eggs in BCG treated and control groups. BCG did not inhibit larval development, as cysticercoids were found in the injected sites. In cortisone treated and diabetic groups, mild cellular reaction was observed.