title: Humoral response and evolution of Echinococcus infection in experimentally infected sheep.
abstract: There is little information on the humoral response of sheep experimentally infected with Echinococcus granulosus. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate this response and measure its evolution. Doses of 10, 100, 1000 and 10000 E. granulosus eggs were prepared and inoculated via intraruminal puncture. Blood samples were obtained before inoculation and every 48 h after inoculation, until they became seropositive. Thereafter, they were taken monthly for the first year and then every three months until 1700 days of observation had been completed. An ELISA test, with total hydatid fluid antigen, was used for immunodiagnosis. The average optical density of the 12 inoculated sheep was found to be above the mean cutoff value 10 days after inoculation, went on increasing until 180 days after inoculation and remained above the cutoff level until the end of the observation period. This confirms that the antibody response of sheep to E. granulosus infection occurs before production of hydatid fluid and that activation, mobilization and establishment of oncospheres in the tissues generates a persistent response from the host's immune system.
authors: Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional de la Pampa, General Pico, Argentina.
authors: Roberto
authors: R
authors: Lamberti
authors: Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional de la Pampa, General Pico, Argentina.
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Cavagion
authors: Facultas de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional de Río Negro, Choele Choel, Argentina.
authors: Antonio
authors: A
authors: Gatti
authors: Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional de la Pampa, General Pico, Argentina.
authors: Claudio
authors: C
authors: Calvo
authors: Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional de la Pampa, General Pico, Argentina.
authors: Lilia
authors: L
authors: Gino
authors: Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional de la Pampa, General Pico, Argentina.
authors: Veronica Véspoli
authors: VV
authors: Puches
authors: Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional de la Pampa, General Pico, Argentina.
authors: Angela Rosa
authors: AR
authors: Alvarez
authors: Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional de la Pampa, General Pico, Argentina.
authors: Emiliano
authors: E
authors: Alvarez
authors: Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional de la Pampa, General Pico, Argentina.
authors: Mariela García
authors: MG
authors: Cachau
authors: Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional de la Pampa, General Pico, Argentina.
authors: Mariela
authors: M
authors: Morete
authors: Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional de la Pampa, General Pico, Argentina.
authors: Edmundo
authors: E
authors: Larrieu
mesh_terms: D032761:Animal Experimentation; D000818:Animals; D004443:Echinococcosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D048209:Echinococcus granulosus; D056724:Immunity, Humoral; D011897:Random Allocation; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology*