title: Specific cross-immunity between Hymenolepis nana and H. diminuta: immunization with heterologous and homologous light infections.
abstract: The consequences of previous and concurrent infection with two related species of cestodes, Hymenolepis nana and H. diminuta, were studied in CD1 mice. A H. diminuta infection strongly affected the establishment and the survival of a secondary H. nana egg or cyst infection administered 30 days later. An infection of 20 H. nana eggs strongly protected against a 5-cyst H. diminuta challenge, whereas an infection of 10 H. nana cysts was ineffective; 20 H. nana eggs also protected against a challenge with 5 cysts of H. diminuta administered 5 days later. No effects were observed in either parasite during a concurrent infection established by administration of cysts. An H. nana egg-infection was unable to affect the establishment of a secondary H. nana cyst-infection given 1 month later; however a significant decrease in growth was found. Similar results were found when a primary H. nana egg-infection was followed 5 days later by the homologous cyst-infection. But an infection with 5 H. nana cysts was unable to protect against a homologous challenge of 5 cysts or 200 eggs. The reciprocal cross immunity between the heterologous parasites and the failure of protection of homologous challenges are discussed in relation to light infections.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Parassitologia, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gabriele
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wakelin
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Palmas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003429:Cross Reactions; D005260:Female; D006925:Hymenolepiasis / Q000276:immunology*; D007114:Immunization; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D010063:Ovum / Q000276:immunology; D011223:Praziquantel; D012008:Recurrence
chemical_list: D011223:Praziquantel