Schistosoma mansoni in the baboon (Papio anubis): parasitological responses of Kenyan baboons to different exposures of a local parasite strain

Abstract

The course of infection with a local strain of Schistosoma mansoni was investigated in Kenyan baboons (Papio anubis). A single exposure to 5000 cercariae per baboon (cpb) killed five 4–8 kg baboons; a sixth survived the full 30-week post-exposure period, with suppressed egg production after week 11. Lower doses were not lethal. A single exposure to 1000 cpb gave satisfactory adult worm recoveries, high and steady faecal egg excretion, and a high tissue egg recovery, predominantly from the large intestine. A similar but less consistent picture was obtained with a single exposure to 200 cpb. Baboons receiving 5 monthly exposures of 200 cpb (1000 cpb total) showed some evidence of the development of protective immunity. Three animals showed patterns resembling those for 200 and 1000 cpb. The other 3 had suppressed egg production (faecal and tissue) indicating, perhaps, some immunological process. They also had an abnormally high percentage of eggs in the liver.