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Juvenile Rhesus Monkeys Have Lower Type 2 Cytokine Responses than Adults after Primary Infection withSchistosoma mansoni

Authors :
Jan A.M. Langermans
Simon Kiarie
Patricia S. Coulson
Padraic G. Fallon
Emma J. Richardson
David W. Dunne
André M. Deelder
Richard A. W. Vervenne
Robert F. Sturrock
Alan W. Thomas
Anthony J. C. Fulford
Jason Gibbons
Source :
The Journal of Infectious Diseases. 187:939-945
Publication Year :
2003
Publisher :
Oxford University Press (OUP), 2003.

Abstract

Adults and children have differences in their susceptibility to schistosomiasis. The relative influences of age-dependent innate resistance and acquired immunity in the differences between susceptibility to schistosomiasis are difficult to assess in humans. Therefore, we exposed juvenile and adult female rhesus monkeys to primary infection with Schistosoma mansoni. In contrast to the adult animals, the juvenile rhesus monkeys had low levels of interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-5 production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells after schistosome infection, as well as lower levels of parasite-antigen-specific antibody (IgG, IgM, and IgA) responses, and produced limited antigen-specific or total IgE. Juvenile animals had statistically nonsignificant increased worm burdens and tissue or fecal egg counts, compared with that of adults, whereas circulating schistosome antigens were significantly higher in infected juvenile monkeys. These results suggest that juvenile rhesus monkeys have reduced type 2 cytokine responses after primary schistosome infections and perhaps are more susceptible to parasite infection.

Details

ISSN :
15376613 and 00221899
Volume :
187
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
The Journal of Infectious Diseases
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....b3feb0265e0b6bad01813f79bf8ca634
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1086/368130