title: Dirofilaria immitis: studies on anti-microfilarial immunity in Lewis rats.
abstract: The effect of vaccination on rates of microfilarial clearance using Dirofilaria immitis in male Lewis rats was examined. Animals were immunized with whole, dead microfilariae or a PBS extract of microfilariae in Freund's adjuvant. The immunized animals, as well as untreated and adjuvant controls, were challenged intravenously with 4 x 10(5) viable microfilariae (mf). The duration of microfilaremia was 15.5 days in rats vaccinated with whole mf, 17.7 days in those vaccinated with a PBS extract, 36.3 days for those vaccinated with adjuvant alone, and greater than 70 days for the untreated group. Analysis of the anti-microfilarial IgG response by ELISA and Western blots demonstrated that immunization induced significant amounts of antibody against high molecular weight peptides, particularly a peptide located at 105 kDa. Antibody levels in both groups of immunized animals continued to rise following challenge, reaching peak levels of 78-80 micrograms/ml on the day of microfilarial clearance. Decreasing microfilaremia following challenge was associated with an enhanced recognition of low molecular weight peptides.
authors: Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors: W K
authors: WK
authors: Tamashiro
authors: M S
authors: MS
authors: Ibrahim
authors: D A
authors: DA
authors: Moraga
authors: A L
authors: AL
authors: Scott
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D004183:Dirofilaria immitis / Q000276:immunology*; D004184:Dirofilariasis / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D005370:Filarioidea / Q000276:immunology*; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007275:Injections, Intravenous / Q000009:adverse effects; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008842:Microfilariae / Q000276:immunology; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D014611:Vaccination / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D000947:Antigens, Helminth