LACK OF H-2-GENE INFLUENCE ON MOUSE SUSCEPTIBILITY TO SECONDARY ALVEOLAR ECHINOCOCCOSIS

To determine whether the development of hepatic Echinococcus multilocu laris infection is influenced by major histocompatibility-linked genes , metacestode growth and host immune responses were compared in 4 C57B L/10 congenic murine strains of H-2(b), H-2(d), H-2(k) and H-2(q) hapl otypes. Although the H-2(q) strain appeared slightly more resistant th an the other strains, the 4 strains of mice developed comparable splee n cell proliferative response and Th1/Th2 cytokine production at 13 we eks p.i. A kinetic analysis, performed in 2 of these congenic strains, showed a similar pattern of parasite growth in these mice and failed to detect any significant difference in the production of parasite-spe cific IgM, IgG(1) and IgG(2a) antibodies. Consequently, this study ind icates that the control of secondary alveolar echinococcosis is not H- 2 gene-linked. (C) 1997 Australian Society for Parasitology. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.