Abstract

The possible effects of ablastin, a reproduction-inhibiting antibody which is produced during the infection of the blood parasite, Trypanosoma musculi in the mouse, were investigated by fractionating the parasite into a supernatant fraction (designated as Group A test mice) and a pellet fraction (Group B test mice). These groups A and B mice were injected with the respective fractions, plus Freund’s Complete Adjuvant (FCA). Control mice were injected with FCA only. Sera from these three groups of mice were removed after the Group A and Group B mice were shown to be negative to T. musculi challenge, and Group A and Group B mice were given their passive immune serum injections. The FCA control mice were similiarily given the FCA serum injections. These FCA control mice were given the same dose inoculum of Trichinella spiralis larvae by gastric gavage. On day 26 post T. spiralis gavaging, all of the mice were sacrificed, and the nematode larvae digested from the muscles of each mouse. The mean number of larvae recovered from the FCA control mice was significantly higher (46,050) than the means of both Group A (12,427) and Group B (11,144) , thus suggesting that the immune serum containing ablastin transferred to the test mice, suppressed the development of larvae as compared to the FCA control mice. A group of control mice which received normal mouse serum only, and given larvae by gavage at the same dosage level and at the same time, showed a markedly lower mean number of larvae (5,669) as compared to the FCA control mice, and about half as many The mechanism in operation which permits the FCA to greatly enhance the larval development in the host, possibly by suppressing the expulsion of the adult worms from the larvae as the test mice. Groups A and B. host's intestine, is not known. However, it must be considered as playing a major role, and suggests an area of future study. When the mean larval count of the control mice, which received only normal mouse serum, is compared with the mean larval counts of Groups A and B, it is noted that there was a 2-fold increase in the test mice. This agrees with findings of a pilot study as part of this investigation of a concurrent infection of mice with T. musculi and T. spiralis. In addition another worker observed a significant increase in Schistosoma mansoni adult worms recovered in mice concurrently infected with T. musculi and the blood fluke, as compared with the control mice. This suggests a change in the host's intestinal environment which tends to suppress adult worm expulsion.

LLU Discipline

Microbiology

Department

Microbiology

School

Graduate School

First Advisor

Edward D. Wagner

Second Advisor

James D. Kettering

Third Advisor

George M. Lessard

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Degree Level

M.S.

Year Degree Awarded

1978

Date (Title Page)

6-1978

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Trypanosoma; Trichinella

Type

Thesis

Page Count

vi; 29

Digital Format

PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

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