Juvenile rhesus monkeys have more colonic granulomas than adults after primary infection with Schistosoma mansoni.
Adults and children have differences in their susceptibility to schistosomiasis. Whether this age-dependent innate susceptibility influences parasite-caused granulomogenesis is difficult to assess in humans. Therefore, we exposed juvenile and adult female rhesus monkeys to primary infection with Schistosoma mansoni. Hepatic and intestinal granuloma formation was observed in both pre-pubescent and adult monkeys. Two distinct stages of granulomas were discerned, the exudative and the productive stage. In the intestine, more granulomas were generated in the colon than in the ileum. In contrast to the adult animals, the juvenile rhesus monkeys had higher numbers of colonic granulomas, these higher numbers being predominantly of the more advanced productive stage. Juvenile animals had a statistically non-significant increased worm burden. These results suggest that juvenile rhesus monkeys have a significantly more intense and advanced colonic response towards entrapped S. mansoni eggs after primary schistosome infections and, thereby, are more susceptible to parasite infection.
Bogers
Johannes J P M
JJ
Laboratory of Pathology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium.
Chatterjee
Shyama
S
Jacobs
Werner
W
Fallon
Padraic G
PG
Dunne
David W
DW
Langermans
Jan A M
JA
Deelder
Andre M
AM
Thomas
Alan W
AW
Van Marck
Eric A E
EA
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D003108:Colonic Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology*; D004198:Disease Susceptibility / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006099:Granuloma / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology*; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni / Q000276:immunology; D012555:Schistosomiasis mansoni / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*