Nematospiroides dubius: factors affecting the primary response to SRBC in infected mice

Mice infected with Nematospiroides dubius were incapable of responding normally to i.p. or i.v. challenge with SRBC. The HA and PFC response to SRBC in infected animals was characterized by a severe depression of antibody to SRBC on day 4 and a reduced HA peak titre during the following week. The greatest depression of the response to SRBC was associated with an interval of 14 days between infection and the administration of antigen, suggesting that a particular stage of the parasite contributed significantly to immunodepression during this critical period. It was proposed that a combination of parasite induced damage to the intestine, release of parasite secretory/excretory products and loss of appetite by the host produced trauma during which the host was incapable of responding normally. However, mice given low-level and long-standing infections also showed reduced responses to SRBC, although these animals were not severely depressed. It is possible that this generalized weakening of host immunocompetence is the inevitable consequence of a parasite mechanism which operates more specifically to suppress the expression of homologous immunity at the intestinal level.