Repeated anthelmintic treatments and receptivity of mice to experimental infections with Heligmosomoides polygyrus (Nematospiroides dubius).
Two experiments were carried out to define the effect of repeated anthelmintic treatments with or without repeated infections by H. polygyrus on the receptivity of the mouse to subsequent infections by the same parasite. The aim of the first experiment was to show the effect of these interventions on the future development of host resistance. This experiment did not reveal a marked difference in behaviour between treated or non-treated animals. During the second experiment a modification of the acquisition of resistance during the period of infections and multiple treatments was looked for. It was shown that multiple treatments of the host during the period of immunity markedly improved the mechanisms of defense against a new infection. Any direct action of anthelmintics was ruled out in explaining this mechanism. Two drugs were compared: pyrantel tartrate and levamisole. No difference has been shown between these two drugs. It is possible, however, that the multiple treatments act by enabling a more intense renewal of the parasitic population and therefore by increasing the stimulus initiating protection.
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D007109:Immunity; D007978:Levamisole / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D011715:Pyrantel / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D011717:Pyrantel Tartrate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014251:Trichostrongyloidea / Q000254:growth & development; D014252:Trichostrongyloidiasis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology
D007978:Levamisole; D011715:Pyrantel; D011717:Pyrantel Tartrate