Summary
The aim of the present study was to confirm observations on the vertical transmission ofSchistosoma japonicum in the rabbit.S. japonicum-infected pregnant rabbits were used in this study. Perfusion of mother rabbits was done 9 weeks after infection in order to obtain worm burdens in relation to their initial cercarial dose. Anti-schistosoma specific IgM antibodies in serum samples collected from rabbit kittens were detected by ELISA. Our results showed that gestation period lasted the normal 29–31 days. All the exposed mother rabbits became infected withS. japonicum. Positive IgM antibody OD values were detected in 12 out of the 60 kittens examined (20.0%). In group C and A, 40.0% and 17.9% of the kitten were congenitally infected, respectively. 18.1% of the kittens born to mothers infected with a single dose of 200 cercariae per rabbit were positives; this is not significantly different from that obtained for the 600 dose group (22.2%). Three randomly selected IgM+ kittens harbored between one and two adult worms. The livers of these kittens displayed granulomatous lesions. It is concluded that congenitalS. japonicum infection does occur in the rabbit and is affected by the mother stage of pregnancy and to a lesser extent by its infection load.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ross A G P, Li Y, Davis G Met al. Schistosomiasis in the People’s Republic of China: Prospects and Challenges for the 21st Century. Clin Microb Rev, 1993, 14(2): 270
Chen M G.Schistosoma Japonicum andS. japonicum-like infections: epidemiology, clinical and parasitological findings. In: Jordan P and Webbe G (Eds). Human schistosomiasi. Willingham, Oxon, CAB International, 1998. 270–273
Willingham A L, Johansen M V, Bøgh H Oet al. Congenital transmission ofSchistosoma Japonicum in pigs. Am J Trop Med Hyg, 1999,60:311
Qian B Z, Bøgh H O, Johansen M Vet al. Congenital transmission ofSchistosoma Japonicum in the rabbit. J Helmenthol, 2000,74:267
Johansen M V, Iburg T, Morad Jet al. Congenital infection withSchistosoma Japonicum but not with Schistosoma bovis in sheep. J Parasitol, 2002, 88(2):414
Shi Y E, Johansen M V, Li F Ret al. An epidemiological investigation of congenitalSchistosoma Japonicum transmission in Hubei province, PR China. Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health, 2001,33(2):323
Evengard B, Hagi H, Linder E. A filter-paper technique for the detection of IgG and IgM class schistosome-specific antibodies in endemic areas. Ann Trop Med Parasit, 1998,82:307
Robinson A. Serum IgG, IgM, and C3 levels inSchistosoma Japonicum infected rabbits. Microbios, 1986,48(194):37
Bjørkman N, Dantzer V, Leiser R. Comparative placentation in laboratory animals a review. Scan J Lab Anim Sci, 1989,16:129
Camus D, Carlier Y, Bina J Cet al. Sensitization to Schistosoma mansoni antigen in uninfected children born to infected mothers. J Infect Dis, 1976,134:405
Fearon D T. Seeking wisdom in innate immunity. Nature, 1997,388:323
Sacks G, Sargent I, Redman C. An innate view of human pregnancy. Immuno Today, 1999,20:114
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Salim, AM.M., Shi, Y., Han, J. et al. Vertical transmission ofSchistosoma japonicum in the rabbit. Current Medical Science 22, 281–284 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02896764
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02896764