Dr. Palmer et al., ANTIBODY ISOTYPE RESPONSES TO ANTIGENS OF ASCARIS-LUMBRICOIDES IN A CASE-CONTROL STUDY OF PERSISTENTLY HEAVILY INFECTED BANGLADESHI CHILDREN, Parasitology, 111, 1995, pp. 385-393
Antibody responses to Ascaris lumbricoides worm antigens were examined
by ELISA in a case-control study of 2 groups of Bangladeshi children,
one of which had been shown over a period of 12 months to be consiste
ntly lightly infected (controls) and the other consistently heavily in
fected (cases). The children showed a wide range in intensity of infec
tion; children identified as cases were on average 4 times more heavil
y infected than the controls. There were no significant differences in
weight, height, mid-upper arm circumference and skinfold thickness be
tween the case or control subjects at the time blood samples for analy
ses by ELISA were collected. Children with repeatedly heavy infections
with A. lumbricoides had higher concentrations of antibody isotypes t
o the antigens of A. lumbricoides than children who are repeatedly lig
htly infected. IgG1, IgG4 and IgE to worm antigens occurred in signifi
cantly higher concentrations in heavily infected subjects. This sugges
ts that these antibody responses simply reflect the intensity of infec
tion and may not play a significant role in protecting against heavy i
nfections.