Reaginic antibodies and helminth infection

SummaryEpidemiological modelling can be a useful tool for the evaluation of parasite control strategies. An age-structured epidemiological model of intestinal helminth dynamics is developed. This model includes the explicit representation of changing worm distributions between hosts as a result of treatment, and estimates the morbidity due to heavy infections. The model is used to evaluate the effectiveness of different programmes of age-targeted community chemotherapy in reducing the amount of morbidity due to helminth infection. The magnitude of age-related heterogeneities is found to be very important in determining the results of age-targeted treatment programmes. The model was verified using field data from control programmes for Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura, and was found to provide accurate predictions of prevalence and mean intensities of infection during and following different control regimes.

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Neither Primary nor Memory Immunity to Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection Is Compromised in Mice with Chronic Enteric Helminth Infection

Infection and Immunity ◽

10.1128/iai.03004-14 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 83 (3) ◽

pp. 1217-1223 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Wasiulla Rafi ◽

Kamlesh Bhatt ◽

William C. Gause ◽

Padmini Salgame

Keyword(s):

Mycobacterium Tuberculosis ◽

T Regulatory Cells ◽

Helminth Infection ◽

Treg Cells ◽

Helminth Species ◽

Nippostrongylus Brasiliensis ◽

T Regulatory Cell ◽

Chronic Infections ◽

Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Infection ◽

Content Type

Previously we had reported thatNippostrongylus brasiliensis, a helminth with a lung migratory phase, affected host resistance againstMycobacterium tuberculosisinfection through the induction of alternatively activated (M2) macrophages. Several helminth species do not have an obligatory lung migratory phase but establish chronic infections in the host that include potent immune downregulatory effects, in part mediated through induction of a FoxP3+T regulatory cell (Treg) response. Treg cells exhibit duality in their functions in host defense againstM. tuberculosisinfection since their depletion leads to enhanced priming of T cells in the lymph nodes and attendant improved control ofM. tuberculosisinfection, while their presence in the lung granuloma protects against excessive inflammation.Heligmosomoides polygyrusis a strictly murine enteric nematode that induces a strong FoxP3 Treg response in the host. Therefore, in this study we investigated whether host immunity toM. tuberculosisinfection would be modulated in mice with chronicH. polygyrusinfection. We report that neither primary nor memory immunity conferred byMycobacterium bovisBCG vaccination was affected in mice with chronic enteric helminth infection, despite a systemic increase in FoxP3+T regulatory cells. The findings indicate that anti-M. tuberculosisimmunity is not similarly affected by all helminth species and highlight the need to consider this inequality in human coinfection studies.

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Cutting Edge: The BTLA–HVEM Regulatory Pathway Interferes with Protective Immunity to Intestinal Helminth Infection

The Journal of Immunology ◽

10.4049/jimmunol.1402510 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 194 (4) ◽

pp. 1413-1416 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Minka Breloer ◽

Wiebke Hartmann ◽

Birte Blankenhaus ◽

Marie-Luise Eschbach ◽

Klaus Pfeffer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Protective Immunity ◽

Helminth Infection ◽

Cutting Edge ◽

Intestinal Helminth ◽

Regulatory Pathway

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Active Bronchial Anaphylaxis in the Rat

Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology ◽

10.1139/y74-146 ◽

1974 ◽

Vol 52 (6) ◽

pp. 1114-1118 ◽

Cited By ~ 31

Author(s):

L. M. Stotland ◽

N. N. Share

Keyword(s):

Allergic Asthma ◽

Specific Antigen ◽

Female Rats ◽

Sprague Dawley ◽

Egg Albumin ◽

Tracheal Pressure ◽

Resultant Increase ◽

Dose Responses ◽

Reaginic Antibodies ◽

Anaphylactic Response

Sprague–Dawley female rats were immunized with egg albumin (EA) in aluminum hydroxide gel (AHG) and with or without Bacillus pertussis vaccine (BPV). Fourteen days later, the animals were anesthetized and challenged with EA intravenously. The resultant increase in tracheal pressure was recorded as an index of anaphylactic bronchoconstriction. Ventilation with tracheal pressures of 6 cm H2O (588 N/m2) allowed maximal development of bronchoconstrictor responses to specific antigen challenge that were similar in both pithed and pentobarbital-anesthetized preparations. Forced reinflation of the lungs did not affect the magnitude of the response but did facilitate its recovery. Serum titers evaluated by 3-h and 72-h passive cutaneous anaphylactic reactions indicated that reaginic antibodies were primarily involved, although other immunoglobulins may have played a contributory role. Antigen dose-responses were similar for both the EA-AHG and EA-AHG-BPV immunized groups of animals despite lower reaginic serum titers for the former group. Thus, an immediate-type bronchial anaphylactic response mediated primarily by reaginic antibodies can be elicited in rats and quantitatively assessed. The potential immunologic similarity of these animals to human allergic asthma suggests their utility for further investigation.

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