title: Parasitological and histopathological effects of immunosuppression in guinea-pigs (Cavia porcellus) experimentally infected with Schistosoma haematobium.
abstract: The parasitological and histopathological effects of immunosuppression in guinea-pigs (Cavia porcellus) experimentally infected with Schistosoma haematobium were studied. A total of 16 guinea-pigs were divided into four groups (four per group): non-immunosuppressed, non-infected group (NN); immunosuppressed, non-infected group (IN); immunosuppressed, infected group (II); non-immunosuppressed, infected group (NI). The IN and II groups were immunosuppressed with 5 mg/kg prednisolone while the II and NI animals were infected with 200-300 S. haematobium cercariae. Excretion of eggs in urine/faeces, worm burden and histopathology of some vital organs of the guinea-pigs were studied. Eggs of S. haematobium were observed in the urine of the NI and II groups from 9 weeks post-infection and in faeces from 10 and 13 weeks post-infection for the NI and II groups, respectively. However, II animals excreted more viable eggs in urine and faeces than those of the NI group. Worm recovery at 14 weeks post-infection showed that NI and II guinea-pigs had more female worms than male worms and a greater proportion of worm recovery for NI animals was of immature worms. Significant differences (P < 0.05) existed between female, male and immature worm burden of the two groups but not in their total worm burden (P>0.05). Histological changes, which were notably reactions to adult S. haematobium worms, were observed in the organs of the NI and II groups but these changes were seen more in the organs of the immunosuppressed, infected (II) than in the non-immunosuppressed, infected (NI) guinea-pigs. The results suggest that immunosuppression before infection increased worm survival and had a moderate effect on liver and bladder histology of S. haematobium infected guinea-pigs.
authors.affiliation: Parasitology Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria. lovelymatters@yahoo.com
authors.forename: O C
authors.initials: OC
authors.lastname: Okeke
authors.forename: P O
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Ubachukwu
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Okafor
authors.forename: S V O
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Shoyinka
mesh_terms: D000825:Animal Structures / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D010270:Parasite Egg Count; D059208:Parasite Load; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D012548:Schistosoma haematobium / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D012553:Schistosomiasis haematobia / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*; D014556:Urine / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D011239:Prednisolone