[The influence of infected mothers on their children's immune response to filariasis].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the reason for broad clinical spectrum of filariasis among the people in the endemic area, and to know the effect of infected mothers on their children's immune response to filariasis.


METHODS
We measured the specific IgG and IgM antibodies in the sera of women and their 1-10 year old children, and maternal and umbilical cord, including Mf cases and control subjects by using IEST.


RESULTS
The positive rates of IgG in the sera of women with Mf and their children were 91.4% (53/58) and 65.5% (38/58), and those of the control group 28.6% (34/119) and 24.4% (29/119). The positive rates of IgM were 81.0% (47/58) and 20.7% (12/58), and those the control group 11.8% (14/119) and 10.9% (13/119), respectively. Also, the positive rates of IgG in the sera of women with Mf and their infants were 91.7% (22/24) and 75.0% (18/24), and those of the control group 20.2% (19/94) and 16.0% (15/94). The positive rates of IgM were 70.8% (17/24) and 8.3% (2/24), and those of the control group 10.6% (10/94) and 3.2% (3/94), respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Whether the mother infected with the disease or not, the acquired immunological tolerance and resistance to the disease in their children might not be affected.
Shen
J
J
Department of Parasitology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei.
Wang
Z
Z
Yang
Z
Z
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000097:blood*; D000917:Antibody Formation; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005368:Filariasis / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007112:Immunity, Maternally-Acquired; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008842:Microfilariae / Q000276:immunology*
D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M