IMMUNOLOGICAL STUDIES REGARDING THE RESPONSE OF THE HOST TO SCHISTOSOMA INFECTION

Abstract

Schistosomiasis is one of the most important healht problem at Egypt, since a large number of populations are infected with this disease special1y at the in young people. This off course will led to a very serious damage in the economical and national losses. There are so many ways nowadays are being in used to control this disease , one of these is to get rid off the secondary host or by chemical treatment of the infected people. However till now these two ways yet are not enough to eliminate this disease. So recently, scientists directed their researches towards the use of the immune system in controlling this disease . Aiming to produce a. vaccine against schistosomiasis. So many previous researches revealed that, there are antigens shared between the parasite itself and its host. One of the most common .schistosome at Egypt is Schitosoma mansoni. Biomphalaria alexandrina is the host for this species. the aim of the present study was to evaluate and get used of this relationship between the schistosoma and B.alexandrina to produce an antigen which may be used to immunize the mice against infection with S.mansoni.