Correlation between worm burden and the incidence of circulating anodic antigens or antibodies in mice infected with Schistosoma japonicum or Schistosoma mansoni
Hirata, M.; Uno, M.; Uno, S.; Tsutsumi, H.
Kurume Medical Journal 35(1): 13-18
1988
ISSN/ISBN: 0023-5679 PMID: 3141678 Accession: 005060203
A circulating anodic antigen (CAA) was detected in Schistosoma japonicum-infected mice using counter-immunoelectrophoresis. The incidence of CAA increased with the total number of female and male worms and reached 100% in mice with 12 worms. The worm burdens, expressed as male worm equivalents based on the CAA content, also showed a close correlation with CAA frequency. On the other hand, the incidence of antibodies had an inverse relationship with CAA frequency. No reactions were seen in mice with more than 13 worms or 30 male worms equivalents. It was notable that mice infected with only male and/or immature worms had a significantly higher degree of reaction (54.5%) than bisexually infected mice (18.2%). For comparison, S. mansoni-infected mice were investigated using S. japonicum worm-derived antigen or antiserum. However, no CAA was detected in the sera from 18 mice, even though one group of mice had a large number of worms (X .+-. SE, 49.7 .+-. 11.7). In contrast, antibodies were detected in sera of all mice sacrificed at 14 and 20 weeks after the infection.