Abstract
Using aLitomosoides carinii adult antigen, time courses of antibody levels were followed by an ELISA inL. carinii, Dipetalonema viteae, Brugia malayi andB. pahangi infectedMastomys natalensis. Using various groups of infected animals, periods up to 400 days after infection were covered.
InL. carinii infected Mastomys, antibodies were first detected 11 days p.i. and levels increased rapidly until day 40. Temporarily reduced levels about the beginning of patency were followed by increasing values until about 100 days p.i. Then the antibody content of the sera remained more or less constant until about 250 days p.i. although maximum levels were found at day 170. Thereafter, the antibody concentration in the sera declined slowly but high levels were still observed 390 days p.i. The antibody content was usually higher in animals with high microfilariae densities than in those with low microfilariae counts but relations could not be proven statistically.
InD. viteae infected Mastomys, maximum antibody values were reached within the beginning of patency. Levels were not altered markedly until about 110 days p.i. Thereafter they decreased slightly but then remained constant until the end of the investigation period 350 days p.i.
B. malayi infected animals showed a rapid increase of the antibody content in the sera; a maximum was reached by 20 days after the infection. Thereafter, somewhat constant levels were found for 4–5 months. After 200 days p.i. the antibody levels declined progressively, accompanied with increasing parasitaemia densities; after 380 days the levels reached about 2/3 of the maximum. However, despite this, no relation was found between the levels of parasitaemia and antibody in individual animals.
InB. pahangi infections the main prepatent antibody increase occurred during week 5 p.i., when maximum values were observed. The beginning of patency and the early patency were accompanied with slightly declining antibody levels. From 150 days p.i. until the end of the investigation 400 days p.i., the antibody content of the sera was fairly constant.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ash LR (1974) Unpublished document. WHO/Fil./74.121. cited by Lämmler G (1977) Experimental chemotherapy and chemoprophylaxis of filariasis. Pest Sci 8:563–576
Ash LR, Riley JM (1970) Development ofBrugia pahangi in the jird,Meriones unguiculatus, with notes on infections in other rodents. J Parasit 56:962–968
Chabaud AG (1954) Sur le cycle évolutif des spirurides et des nématodes ayant une biologie comparable. Ann Parasit Hum Comp 29:358–425
Engvall E, Perlmann P (1972) Quantification of specific antibodies by enzyme labelled antiimmunoglobulin in antigen coated tubes. J Immunol 109:129–136
Gusmao RD'A, Stanley, AM, Ottesen EA (1981)Brugia pahangi: Immunologic evaluation of the differential susceptibility to filarial infection in inbred Lewis rats. Exp Parasitol 52:147–159
Jaquet C (1980)Litomosoides carinii (Travassos, 1919) Chandler, 1913 (Filariodea) in cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus, Say and Ord, 1825) and jirds (Meriones unguiculatus, Milne-Edwards, 1867): comparison of the infection in relation to the immuno response. Thesis, Faculty of Science of the University of Neuchâtel
Lämmler G, Saupe, E., Herzog, H (1968) Infektionsversuche mit der BaumwollrattenfilarieLitomosoides carinii beiMastomys natalensis (Smith 1834). Z. Parasitenkd 32:281–290
Pacheco G (1966) Progressive changes in certain serological responses toDirofilaria immitis infection in the dog. J Parasitol 52:311–317
Ponnudurai T, Denham DA, Nelson GS, Rogers R (1974) Studies withBrugia pahangi. 4. Antibodies angainst adult and microfilarial stages. J Helminthol 48:107–111
Portaro JK, Britton S, Ash LR (1976)Brugia pahangi: depressed mitogenreactivity in filarial infections in the jird.,Meriones unguiculatus. Exp Parasitol 40:438–446
Sänger I, Lämmler G (1979) OnDipetalonema viteae infection ofMastomys natalensis. Z Tropenmed 30:81–87
Sänger I, Lämmler G, Kimmig P (1981) Filarial infections ofMastomys natalensis and their relevance for experimental chemotherapy. Acta Tropica 38:277–288
Scott JA, MacDonnald EM, Terman B (1951) A description of the stages in the life cycle of the filarial wormLitomosoides carinii. J Parasitol 37:425–434
Sedlacek HH (1980) Pathophysiological aspects of immune complex diseases I. Interaction with plasma enzyme systems, cell membranes and the immune response. Klin Wochenschr 58:543–550
Singh M, Kane GJ, Burren C, Mackinlay LM (1980) Immunofluorescent studies in filariasis: antibody levels in jirds (Meriones unguiculatus) infected withBrugia malayi. J Helminthol 54:147–153
Weiss (1978a)Dipetalonema viteae: in vitro blastogenesis of hamster spleen, and lymph node cells to phythemagglutinin and filarial antigens. Exp Parasitol 46:283–299
Weiss N (1978b) Studies onDipetalonema viteae (Filaroidea) I. Microfilaraemia in hamsters in relation to worm burden and humoral response. Acta Tropica 35:137–150
Wong MM (1964) Studies on microfilaraemia in dogs. II. Levels of microfilaraemia in relation to immunological responses of the host. Am J Trop Med Hyg 13:66–77
Zahner H (1974)Litomosoides carinii-Infektion derMastomys natalensis: Serologische Verlaufsuntersuchungen mit der Komplementbindungsreaktion und der indirekten Hämagglutination. Z Parasitenkd 43:181–196
Zahner H, Failing K, Krauss H, Arens M, Hammes H (1981) Ein Beitrag zur stufenlosen Antikörperbestimmung mit dem “Enzyme Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay” (ELISA). Immun Infekt 9:33–39
Zahner H, Lämmler G, Schütze H-R (1974)Litomosoides carinii-Infektion derMastomys natalensis Zusammenhänge zwischen Mikrofilarämie und Adulten-Population. Z. Parasitenkd 43:89–97
Zahner H, Pries M, Kapmeyer W, Reiner G (1983) Levels of circulating immune complexes in the course of various experimental filarial infections (Litomosoides carinii, Dipetalonema viteae, Brugia malayi, B. pahangi) ofMastomys natalensis (submitted for publication)
Zahner H, Sänger I, Souslby EJL, Lämmler G (1980) Homocytotropic antibodies in experimental filarial infections (Litomosoides carinii, Dipetalonema viteae, Brugia malayi) of the multimammate rat. Proc 3rd Europ Muticolloquium Parasitol, Cambridge, UK: 41
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Tandon, A., Zahner, H., Sänger, I. et al. Time courses of antibody levels inMastomys natalensis after infections withLitomosoides carinii, dipetalonema viteae, brugia malayi orB. pahangi, determined by ELISA. Z. Parasitenkd. 69, 681–692 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00926678
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00926678