[Susceptibility and the immune response to Trichinella spiralis infection]

The aim of this study was to assess a possible association between parameters of immune response and susceptibility/resistance to T. spiralis infection. The immune response to T. spiralis was monitored in two inbred strains of mice (BALB/c and C57Bl/6), as well as in the most important natural host--swine, by analysing the changes in main lymphocyte populations, the appearance of specific antibodies and worm burden recovery. In the murine model, the lower level of muscle larvae worm burden recovery in mice expressed greater resistance (BALB/c) was associated with manifested clinical signs, earlier development of humoral antibody response and a persistently higher level of CD4/CD8 T cell ratio, compared to T. spiralis-susceptible mice (C57Bl/6). In swine, high susceptibility to infection was also associated with lack of clinical symptoms, a delayed development of an antibody response and persistently low CD4/CD8 T cell ratio.