Immunological studies in human schistosomiasis. I. Parasitic antigen in urine.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Y Carlier.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
An ELISA test was developed to detect Paragonimus-specific antibodies, including IgG subclasses, using P. mexicanus crude water-soluble antigens. The test was standardized to detect antibodies in sera of Ecuadorian patients with pulmonary paragonimiasis and negative controls from the endemic area. The detected mean levels of IgG (0.753, SEM: 0.074) and IgM (0.303, SEM: 0.033) were significantly elevated (P < 0.05). Within the IgG subclasses, IgG4 showed the highest detected mean level (0.365, SEM: 0.116) and the other three subclasses showed considerably lower mean levels (IgG1, 0.186 SEM: 0.06; IgG2, 0.046 SEM: 0.01; IgG3, 0.123 SEM: 0.047). The number of P. mexicanus eggs found in sputum of infected individuals showed a positive correlation with the level of antibodies detected for IgM, IgG and its subclasses (P < 0.001). The relevance of these findings in Ecuadorian patients suffering from pulmonary paragonimiasis is discussed.
Circulating M antigen, previously described in urine from patients infected by Schistosoma mansoni, was shown in serum from infected patients, using human anti-M immune serum with immunodiffusion and immunoelectrophoretic analyses. This antigen was also shown to be present in the serum and urine from infected hamsters, in the urine from infected rabbits and in the serum from infected mice. Generally, it appeared on day 20 after infection. M antigen was specific for the genus Schistosoma and for the immature and adult worm stage. Its electrophoretic migration was cathodic. The molecular weight of urinary M antigen was around 45,000 daltons. The M antigen was thermostable, soluble in trichloroacetic acid, and contained no lipid component. It was hydrolyzed by protease, ribonuclease, amylase or neuraminidase, but was destroyed by sodium metaperiodate. All these properties betoken the polysaccharidic nature of M antigen.
Infection with Leishmania sp. is particularly suitable for the study of immunoregulatory mechanisms associated with host susceptibility or resistance. The clinical spectrum of this infection results from parasite virulence factors and host immune responses, some of which acting in a host protective manner while others exacerbate the disease. In the mouse model, factors governing resistance to Leishmania major infection mainly depends on the IFN-gamma activation of the leishmanicidal function of macrophages, and the Fas/ FasL-dependent T-cell cytotoxicity against infected macrophages. On the other hand, the immunological factors of susceptibility involve: I) the early upregulation of IL-4 production induced by the LACK antigen, II) the upregulation of IL-2 production, III) the high production of TGF-beta as macrophage deactivating factor, and IV) the production of IL-10 by the L. major infected macrophages, inhibited their microbicidal activity.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Alveolar echinococcosis of the liver is an uncommon and fatal disease resulting from hepatic infection by Echinococcus multilocularis. Liver transplantation has been proposed for unresectable cases with chronic complications, but up to now, no long-term follow-up has been reported. We report the case of a 29-year-old female who is disease-free more than six years after liver transplantation for a recurrent alveolar echinococcosis of the liver, confirming the place for liver transplantation in this disorder.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Intravenous inoculation of "young" bacilli of Calmette-Guérin 14 days before challenge with Schistosoma mansoni highly protect the mice against this infection.