title: Nonspecific immunomodulation influences resistance of mice to experimental infection with Mesocestoides corti and Ascaris suum.
abstract: The influence of nonspecific immunomodulation on the course of experimental infection was examined in larval cestodosis (Mesocestoides corti) and ascaridosis (Ascaris suum) in mice. Immunosuppressive treatment (with azathioprine or hydrocortisone) resulted in a decrease of resistance in both models. The subsequent administration of T-activin to immunosuppressed mice led to the restoration of resistance to a level equal to that of untreated control mice. The administration of different immunomodulators partially protected mice against M. corti (T-activin, thymomodulin) or A. suum (T-activin, thymomodulin, thymosin fr.5, bursa-activin) infection. The protective effect of different treatments did not correlate with the level of specific antibody in the sera of infected mice. These results, which confirmed the decisive role of T-cell immunity in the resistance to the helminth infections, raise the possibility of the use of immunomodulators (thymic preparations) in the immunoprophylaxis of helminthoses.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Parasitology, Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, Ceské Budĕjovice.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hermánek
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000818:Animals; D001196:Ascariasis / Q000276:immunology*; D001200:Ascaris / Q000276:immunology*; D001379:Azathioprine; D002590:Cestode Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006854:Hydrocortisone; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D007814:Larva / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D008099:Liver / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D008645:Mesocestoides / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D010455:Peptides; D010529:Peritoneal Cavity / Q000469:parasitology; D013947:Thymosin; D013949:Thymus Extracts
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D010455:Peptides; D013949:Thymus Extracts; D013947:Thymosin; C036191:T-activin; C051006:thymomodulin; D001379:Azathioprine; D006854:Hydrocortisone