HELMINTHOLOGIA, 38, 4:187-191, 2001

A. Paz-Silva, A. Romasanta, R. Sánchez-Andrade, R. Panadero, J. L. Suárez, A. Sánchez-Andrade¹, R. Díez-Bańos*, P. Morrondo

Parasitología y Enfermedades Parasitarias, Departamento de Patología Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela. 27071-Lugo, Spain; ¹Hospital General de Lugo, Servicio de Reumatología, E-mail: dibapa@lugo.usc.es.

A study to evaluate the effect of dexamethasone on the humoral immune response to Toxocara canis in dogs was conducted. Dexamethasone (1 mg dexamethasone-phosphate and 2 mg dexamethasone-g-picolinate) was subcutaneously injected into one group of normal Beagle puppies (G-D) during 28 consecutive days, and another two groups remained untreated (G-I and G-C). On the 15^th day of the study, G-D and G-I were infected with T. canis embryonated eggs. Total IgG, IgG1 and IgG2 responses were assessed by ELISA. IgG1 values increased when IgG2 fell in the untreated and infected puppies, whereas the kinetics of IgG1 and IgG2 antibodies was similar in the dogs treated with dexamethasone. The IgG1 response was significantly higher in the dexamethasone-treated dogs, but IgG2 antibodies were lower than in G-I until the 10^th weeks after infection. It is concluded that an anti-inflammatory therapy with dexamethasone during 28 days did not suppress the humoral immune response against T. canis infection, but it was able to modify it, affecting especially the IgG2 response.

HELMINTHOLOGIA, 38, 4:193-199, 2001

The effect of cyclophosphamide on the cellular and humoral immune responses in experimental Toxocara canis infestation

Z. BOROŠKOVÁ, E. DVOROŽŇÁKOVÁ, O. TOMAŠOVIČOVÁ, P. DUBINSKÝ

Parasitological Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 040 01 Košice, Slovak Republic, E-mail: dvoroz@saske.sk

The treatment with immunosuppressive drugs can negati-vely influence a immune response and so increase the in-tensity of a parasite infection in hosts. The effect of cyclo-phosphamide (CY) treatment on cellular and humoral im-mune responses and the intensity of infection in mice with larval toxocarosis were studied. The proliferative response of spleen T- and B- cells, the numbers of CD4+ and CD8+ T- cells, the concentrations of cytokines IFN-g, IL-5 and antibodies IgM and IgG2 were detected. Administration of CY to healthy animals signifi-cantly decreased the proliferative responses of splenic T- and B- cells to Concanavalin A and lipopolysaccharide. However, the levels of serum cytokines IFN-g and IL-5 re-mained unchanged. Oral infection with 1000 Toxocara ca-nis eggs enhanced the proliferation of T- and B- cells to both nonspecific mitogens, especially in the latter phase of infectious process. An initial decrease in number of CD4+ and CD8+ T- cell subpopulations in the beginning of the infection was followed by an increase. The infection itself elevated the levels of IFN-g and IL-5 and specific anti-Toxocara IgM and IgG₂ antibodies. After the CY induced immunosuppression and subsequent infection the prolifera-tive activity of T- and B- cells were remarkably inhibited by the third week post infection and the reduction in CD4+ and CD8+ T- cells subsets was detected in immunosup-pressed mice throughout the whole study. The concentra-tions of IFN-g and IL-5 in serum were also significantly re-duced. IgM and IgG₂ antibodies in CY treated mice had similar kinetics as detected in infected animals. The only difference was that the production of specific immuno-globulins remained constantly at lower level. In compari-son with infected host without immunosuppressive treat-ment CY increased the number of larvae present in mus-cles and brain, 35.7 % and 36 %, respectively. The results suggest the inhibition of regulative and effector immune mechanisms caused by the immunosuppressant and conse-cutive the more intensive parasitization in organs of hosts.

HELMINTHOLOGIA, 38, 4:201-204, 2001

The influence of glucocorticoid on the blood lymphocytes in Trichinella spiralis infected mice

K. BOCZOŃ, A. KOSTRZEWA*, S. PARADOWSKI*, E. WANDURSKA-NOWAK., K.WIKTOROWICZ*

Department of Biology and Medical Parasitology; *Department of Biology and Environmental Studies, Karol Marcinkowski University of Medical Sciences, Fredry 10, 61-701 Poznań, Poland, E-mail: kboczon@eucalyptus.usoms.poznan.pl
 

Summary

HELMINTHOLOGIA, 38, 4:205-209, 2001

The isoenzymes of α-amylase from the intestine of Ascaris suum

K. ŻÓŁTOWSKA

Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, University of Warmia and Masuria, ul. Żołnierska 14, 10-561 Olsztyn, Poland, E-mail: zlotow@matman.uwm.edu.pl
 

Summary

Two distinct isoenzymes of α-amylase were identified in the intestine of Ascaris suum. They were purified to homo-geneity. The molecular weight of α-I₁ amylase was 75 kDa and α-I₂ was 82 kDa. The isoelectric point was at 4.7 and at 4.5, respectively. The α-I₁ amylase had optimum pH of 7.44 and optimum temperature at 50°C. The α-I₂ amylase showed the maximum of its activity at pH 6.9 and in the temperature of 40°C. It was unaffected by calcium and EDTA. The α-I₁ isoenzyme was activated by Ca²⁺ and in-hibited by EDTA. Both isoenzymes were strongly inhibi-ted by -SH reagent iodoacetic acid. The protein inhibitor of α-amylase from wheat inhibited α-I₁ to 20 % of its activi-ty, while the α-I₂ amylase was activated by it. Generally the α-I₁ isoenzyme had higher activity than α-I₂, especially with amylose, amylopectin and starch. Both isoenzymes showed weak maltase- and trehalase-like activity.

HELMINTHOLOGIA, 38, 4:211-214, 2001

The prevalence of equine gastrointestinal parasites in the Slovak Republic

A. KÖNIGOVÁ, M. VÁRADY, J. ČORBA

Parasitological Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 040 01 Košice, Slovak Republic, E-mail: konig@saske.sk
 

Summary

HELMINTHOLOGIA, 38, 4:215-219, 2001

P. Dubinský , M. Várady, K. Reiterová, M. Miterpáková, Ľ. Turčeková

Parasitological Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 040 01 Košice, Slovak Republic, E-mail: dubinsky@saske.sk

The occurrence of Echinococcus multilocularis in red foxes was investigated in the entire Slovak Republic. The average prevalence in 2000 was 24.8 % with a mean intensity of 1759 worms (range 4-15,000) per animal. The parasite was widespread on 71.1 % of the territory. The highest prevalences were observed in the regions neighbouring with the Czech Republic and Poland. In addition, a higher E. multilocularis prevalence was recorded in spring (26.8 %) than in autumn (22.7 %), with female foxes being more often infected in spring, while in the autumn higher prevalences were found in male foxes. Infection intensities of more than 1000 worms were found in four animals. The rapid spreading of E. multilocularis from border regions to other parts of the Slovak Republic is discussed.

HELMINTHOLOGIA, 38, 4:221-226, 2001

V. ŠNÁBEL^1,2, A. PERMIN², H.B. MAGWISHA³, X. SUO⁴, M. VÁRADY¹, O. TOMAŠOVIČOVÁ¹