SPECIFIC IMMUNE COMPLEXES IN EXPERIMENTAL SCHISTOSOMIASIS

Abstract

Schistosomiasis is the most important problem in our countr)'. I This work is concerned with the detection of circulating schistosoma! antibodies, circulating immmune complexes and deposited schislosom l antigens in tissues of s.mansoni infected mice in a trial to evaluate their ' potential use in diagnosis of the disease and efficacy of praziquantel

therapy.

I I One hundred and thirty mice were infected by tail imersion with

100 (± 10) S.mansoni cercariae for each one and treated by PZQ(500 mg

I kg! body weigt) after 8 weeks from infection and investigated every 2 weeks until the lOth week after treatment. I

-Thirty five mice were also infected by S. mansoni by the same mannet,

received no treatment and investigated (nontreated infected group). I I -Thirty five completely free mice were not infected and investigated

(negative control group).

The laboratorv investigations were done for all mice included in thi study: 1- Stool examination by Kato thick smear technique for counting the S

mansom eggs.

2- Perfusion technique to count the worm burden. i 3- ELISA method for CSAb and CIC detection in the sera. I • 4-Indirect immunoperoxidase technique for schistosoma! antiged detection in the tissues (liver, spleen, intestine, kidney and heart). f