title: Immunological responses of dogs experimentally infected with Dirofilaria immitis.
abstract: Three dogs were experimentally infected with Dirofilaria immitis. All dogs were euthanised at 30, 36 and 37 weeks after inoculation of D. immitis for the recovery of adult worms. Three cases accounted to 42.91 % recovery of inoculated worms. Serum samples from dogs experimentally inoculated with D. immitis were analyzed by ELISA and immunoblotting methods. Antibody titers of dogs detected by ELISA peaked between 7 and 14 weeks then decreased between weeks 15 to 24 followed by another increase during weeks 25 to 30 and persisted throughout the remainder of the experiment period. Analysis of adult D. immitis protein stained with Coomassie brilliant blue R-250 indicated separately more than 10 bands, and the major bands were 22, 40, 46, 56, 70, 72 and 89 kDa. Antigenic identification of extracts antigens of adults D. immitis by immunoblotting analysis revealed several bands from pooled sera of patent infection (30 weeks after inoculation). The detected bands were 24, 70, 80 and 110 kDa, 22, 72 and 84 kDa, and 58 and 72 kDa in dogs 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Results of antibody titers reached high levels on the 4th molting stage after inoculation of infective larva (L3), and reinforced previous findings that high molecular weight regions are detected in young animals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Internal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 305-764, Korea.
authors.forename: Kun-Ho
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Mineo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hayasaki
authors.forename: Chusnul
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Choliq
authors.forename: Kyu-Woan
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Hong-Ryul
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Bung-Hyun
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Moo-Hyung
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.forename: Bae-Kun
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Duck-Hwan
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000032:analysis; D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D001344:Autopsy; D004183:Dirofilaria immitis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D004184:Dirofilariasis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D004285:Dogs / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D015151:Immunoblotting; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D000947:Antigens, Helminth