title: Influence of age of mice on the susceptibility to murine schistosomiasis infection.
abstract: Intensity of human schistosomiasis infection increases with age, a peak being attained at early puberty. Hormones could be involved in the age-related changes in susceptibility to schistosomiasis. Male BALB / c mice were infected with Schistosoma mansoni either before or after puberty and worm numbers, cellular immune responses, hormonal levels and pathology analysed. Pre-puberty infected mice had a significantly higher number of adult worms (p < 0.05), more severe granulomas, higher mortality rate and higher proliferative responses as compared to post-puberty infected mice. Levels of the hormones were lower in the pre-puberty infected mice as compared to the post-puberty group early in the infection. Plasma levels of testosterone and luteinizing hormones decreased significantly (p < 0.05) in infected mice when compared to controls. Susceptibility to S. mansoni in male BALB / c mice seems to be influenced by levels of testosterone and luteinizing hormone at infection. Albeit, an infection with S. mansoni seems to lower the hormonal levels.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Primate Research, Karen, Nairobi, Kenya. dsyole@ipr.or.ke
authors.forename: Dorcas S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Yole
authors.forename: Stephen K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Gikuru
authors.forename: Emmanuel O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Wango
authors.forename: Kiio
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kithome
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kiarie
authors.forename: Moses
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Limo
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010270:Parasite Egg Count; D012555:Schistosomiasis mansoni / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone