Nippostrongylus brasiliensis infections in mice: the immunological basis of worm expulsion

Abstract

Nippostrongylus brasiliensis infections in mice were terminated more rapidly than in rats and immunologically induced damage occurred earlier. Like rats, mice expelled damaged worms more rapidly than normal worms. Recipients of cells from the spleen or mesenteric node of immune mice expelled their worms by day 8 of the infection. Recipients of cells alone or antiserum alone did not expel their worms by day 5 but mice given both cells and antiserum expelled their worms by this stage of the infection. Damaged worms were expelled more rapidly than normal worms from mice given immune cells. This work indicates that antibodies and cells collaborate to expel N. brasiliensis from mice as has been shown to occur in rats.