ANTIGENS WITH APPLICATION TOWARD IMMUNE CONTROL OF BLOOD-FEEDING PARASITIC NEMATODES

This review considers progress toward immune control of nematode paras ites that feed on mammalian host blood. Approaches to identify relevan t parasite antigens include use of irradiated larvae, somatic antigens , metabolites, enzymes and gut antigens. Because significant immune pr otection has more recently been achieved using gut antigens of the blo od-feeding parasite Haemonchus contortus, these antigens are considere d in greater detail. Issues discussed are implications of gut antigens in immune control, potential mechanisms involved in this immunity, bi ochemical characteristics of gut antigens and potential application of gut antigens to immune control of other blood-feeding nematodes.