IMMUNOGLOBULIN-E ELEVATION IN PLASMODIUM-CHABAUDI MALARIA

In order to investigate the mechanism of immunoglobulin E (IgE) elevat ion in malaria we studied mice infected with asexual blood stages of t he rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium chabaudi chabaudi for total IgE and IgE antimalarial antibodies. Multiply infected mice had elevated l evels of total as well as malaria-specific IgE in their sera. Sera tak en from mice 3 weeks after one infection with P. chabaudi showed no Ig E elevation, indicating that prolonged or repeated exposure to the par asite is necessary for the induction of an IgE response, which also is induced independently of previous or simultaneous infection with othe r pathogens such as helminths.