UV-B exposure impairs resistance to infection by Trichinella spiralis

Journal Article · Tue Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1994 · Environmental Health Perspectives; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.94102298· OSTI ID:6831192

Goettsch, W; Garssen, J; Deijns, A; Loveren, H van ^[1]; Gruijl, F.R. de ^[2]

---

1. National Institute for Public Health and Environmental Protection, Bilthoven (Netherlands)
2. Utrecht Univ. (Netherlands)

To assess the possibility that increases in UV-B exposure on the earth's surface could lead to impaired resistance to several infectious diseases, we studied the effect of UV-B exposure on resistance against Trichinella spiralis. Wistar rats, orally infected with T. spiralis larvae, were exposed to suberythemal doses of UV-B radiation daily for 5 days at different time periods before or after infection. A significant increase in the number of Trichinella larvae was found in the carcasses of rats irradiated with UV-B between 6 and 10 days after infection. These data indicate that exposure to UV-B radiation suppresses the resistance to a parasitic infection. We suggested that UV-B radiation especially suppresses cellular immune responses against these worms because specific IgM, IgG, and IgE titers were not significantly altered by UV-B exposure. These data indicate that UV-B irradiation plays a role in the course of infection with T. spiralis, which suggests that increases of UV-B exposure might also lead to problems with other infectious diseases and might affect vaccination because of the interaction of UV-B irradiation with memory T-cells. 38 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab.

• OSTI ID: 6831192
• Journal Information: Environmental Health Perspectives; (United States), Journal Name: Environmental Health Perspectives; (United States) Vol. 102:3; ISSN 0091-6765; ISSN EVHPAZ
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550900 -- Pathology
560400* -- Other Environmental Pollutant Effects
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ASCHELMINTHES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
CHRONIC EXPOSURE
DISEASE RESISTANCE
DISEASES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
HELMINTHS
IMMUNE REACTIONS
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
NEMATODES
PARASITES
PARASITIC DISEASES
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATIONS
TRICHINELLA
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION