| dc.description.abstract | The study of immunopathology in parasitic infections is crucial
eRpecially in the attempts to develop control measures since a
better understanding of the factors that influence immunopathogenesjs
mAy help to elucidate the complex host parasite relationship.
In Schistosomiasis eggs are believed to be the main cause
of the pathology associated wi th this disease. Eggs are either
extruded with the faeces or are trapped in tissues such as the
liver and the gut. The host then responds to these trapped eggs
immunologically involving both humoral and cellular mediated responses
which culminate in granuloma formation around the deposited eggs.
Such granulomas are thought to minimize the spread of toxic substances
from the eggs to the rest of the organ and cause generalized tissue
destruction, but at the same time leads to pathological fibrosis.
Previous workers have shown that host immunity influences
granuloma formation since immunodeficient hosts tend to have reduced
granulomas. We present results which confirm these earlier observations
and suggested that in hamsters, the more immune the host
is, the more eggs trapped in the tissues and therefore less eggs
are extruded in such hosts.
Conversely the less immune the host is, the fewer the eggs
trapped in tissues and the more the eggs passed out wi th faeces.
Suggestions for further research work have been made. | en_US |
