Experimental dicrocoeliasis: The humoral immune response of golden hamsters and rabbits to primary infection withDicrocoelium dendriticum

Abstract

The results presented deal with the humoral immune response of golden hamsters to primary experimental infection withD. dendriticum. The development of serum antibodies has been comparatively investigated with three hamster groups (n=43) harbouring different burdens of adult flukes. The mean numbers of parasites were 11, 30, or 130 per animal. Serum antibody response was studied during an observation period of at least 331 and up to 496 days postinfection. For antibody detection the sensitivities of precipitation tests (PTs) (double diffusion test, immuno- and counterimmunoelectrophoresis), of the indirect haemagglutination test (IHAT), the complement fixation test (CFT), and the enzyme linked immuno sorbent assay (ELISA) were compared using aqueous crude fluke antigen and crude egg antigen.

CFT and ELISA were most sensitive for the early detection of initial response. Thereafter all the tests employed revealed increasing antibody titres, which in general remained at constant levels and persisted until the end of the observation period with the exception of CF-antibodies. In general fluke antigen was found to be more sensitive than egg antigen. However, in CFT this antigen occasionally has been associated with unspecific inhibition of haemolysis. Comparison of the results shows that ELISA using crude fluke antigen gave the most realistic picture of the actual fluke burden. Also preliminary results on the precipitin response of rabbits (n=3) after primary experimental exposure to different numbers of metacercariae (500, 1,000, and 3,000 per animal respectively) are reported. Employing the above mentioned PTs a persisting antibody response could be demonstrated only after exposure to at least 3,000 infective larvae. The initial response was found on day 63, the observation period was 550 days.