Time-course of antibody response in mice against oral infection with eggs of Echinococcus multilocularis

The kinetics of serum antibody response against infection with Echinococcus multilocularis eggs was evaluated in AKR mice. The animals were infected by oral inoculation with 300 parasite eggs, and necropsied at 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 12 and 16 weeks post-infection (p.i.), respectively. The parasite formed the laminated layer at 4 weeks p.i., the brood capsule with a massive proliferation of germinal cells at 9 weeks p.i. and protoscoleces at 16 weeks p.i. Serum antibody responses of the mice to antigen preparations from metacestodes of different stages and protoscoleces were evaluated by ELISA, immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry. In ELISA, the antibody responses began to increase at 4 weeks and became more apparent at 9 weeks p.i. and thereafter. Immunoblots using sera collected at 16 weeks p.i. showed some common bands among the 3 different antigen preparations. In addition to this, the germinal cells and brood capsules of mature metacestodes were stained strongly in an immunohistochemical study. From above, it is suggested that some antigen molecules are expressed in the parasite through these stages and stimulated host antibody responses.