Immunisation of lambs with drug-abbreviated Haemonchus contortus infections: protection against homologous and heterologous challenge.
Haemonchus contortus is known as a prolific parasite, producing high numbers of eggs. It could therefore be used as a cheap source of larvae for immunisation of lambs. The value of immunisation would be improved if the immunity produced gave protection against not only homologous but also heterologous infections. Because antibody cross-reactivity between Haemonchus and Ostertagia has been well established, we wanted to know whether drug-abbreviated infections of H. contortus would stimulate production of antibodies that would cross-react with Trichostrongylus colubriformis. The results obtained from these trials indicated that H. contortus drug-abbreviated infections produced significant immunity against not only Haemonchus but also O. circumcincta. Immunisation increased the level of immunoglobulin E (IgE) and IgE-specific antibodies against T. colubriformis, but the differences between experimental and control animals were not statistically significant. Significantly higher levels of IgG-specific antibodies against T. colubriformis were observed.
Stankiewicz
M
M
Animal and Food Sciences Division, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand. stankiem@lincoln.ac.nz
Hadas
E
E
Shaw
R
R
Green
R
R
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000097:blood; D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000276:immunology*; D015478:Antigens, Heterophile / Q000276:immunology*; D000969:Antinematodal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003429:Cross Reactions / Q000276:immunology; D006188:Haemonchiasis / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D006189:Haemonchus / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007114:Immunization; D007978:Levamisole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010028:Ostertagia / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010029:Ostertagiasis / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary; D011897:Random Allocation; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014253:Trichostrongylosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary; D014254:Trichostrongylus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification
D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D000947:Antigens, Helminth; D015478:Antigens, Heterophile; D000969:Antinematodal Agents; D001562:Benzimidazoles; D007978:Levamisole; C011030:oxfendazole