IMMUNITY AND MORBIDITY IN SCHISTOSOMA-MANSONI INFECTION - QUANTITATIVE ASPECTS

Immunity to Schistosoma mansoni infection in humans can be studied mos t easily by monitoring serially the intensity of reinfection that occu rs among individuals who have undergone chemotherapeutic cure, and who se levels of exposure to contaminated water is subsequently observed. Parallel studies can then be made of those immune responses that are c orrelated with an observed resistance to reinfection. This paper descr ibes some of the difficulties associated with this approach, with part icular reference to the authors' own studies in Kenya, and highlights a possible role of immunoglobulin E antibodies against adult worm anti gens in mediating immunity.