skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: RESISTANCE PRODUCED IN MICE BY EXPOSURE TO IRRADIATED SCHISTOSOMA MANSONI CERCARIAE

Journal Article · · Exptl. Parasitol.

Studies were undertaken to determine whether gamma irradiation of cercariae might provide a means of investigating some of the mechanisms involved in the acquired resistance to schistosomiasis. Control mice received 200 nonirradiated cercariae, and other groups received the same number of cercariae that had been exposed to 6 different doses of Co/sup 60/ gamma irradiation varying from 1000--20000 rep. Eight weeks later the worms recovered were counted. Doses of 4000 rep or higher completely inhibited the development of schistosomes. A few stunted and underdeveloped worms were found in some of the mice receiving cercariae irradiated at 2500 and 3000 rep. Some adult schistosomes were observed in the groups receiving 1500 and 2000 rep and eggs were found in the liver but not in the stools of some mice. However, all of the mice exposed to cercariae irradiated with 1000 rep had eggs in liver and stools. The worm burden decreased regularly with increasing dosages up to 3000 rep, beyond which no worms were found at necropsy. The decrease in the number of worms mice acquired was linear only when cercariae were exposed from 1000to 2000 rep, however, even beyond such dosages, it followed a straight line when the logarithm of irradiation dose was plotied. Acquired resistance to S. mansoni was observed in mice following a previous exposure to irradiated cercariae. (TCO)

Research Organization:
Walter Reed Army Inst. of Research, Washington, D.C.
NSA Number:
NSA-17-028733
OSTI ID:
4686271
Journal Information:
Exptl. Parasitol., Vol. Vol: 13; Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-63
Country of Publication:
Country unknown/Code not available
Language:
English