Schistosoma japonicum: an ultraviolet-attenuated cercarial vaccine applicable in the field for water buffaloes.
Water buffaloes were vaccinated three times with 10,000 Schistosoma japonicum cercariae irradiated with ultraviolet (uv) light at a dose of 400 microW x min/cm2. The irradiation was performed with cheap, simple, and portable equipment in a rural area of Hubei Province (People's Republic of China). A challenge infection of 1000 untreated cercariae was given to six vaccinated and six naive control buffaloes, while two vaccinated animals were not challenged. The experiment was terminated 6 weeks after the challenge. Control animals had lost body weight and harbored a mean of 110 worms and 37 eggs per gram of liver. The vaccinated animals gained weight after the challenge and developed 89% resistance to infection with S. japonicum. Since schistosomiasis japonica is nowadays transmitted in China predominantly by domestic livestock, a uv-attenuated cercarial vaccine for bovines may contribute to the control of this disease.
Shi
Y E
YE
Department of Parasitology, Tongii Medical University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China.
Jiang
C F
CF
Han
J J
JJ
Li
Y L
YL
Ruppel
A
A
D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D002020:Buffaloes / Q000469:parasitology*; D008297:Male; D012549:Schistosoma japonicum / Q000276:immunology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D012554:Schistosomiasis japonica / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014611:Vaccination / Q000662:veterinary*; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated
D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated