THE EFFECT OF IMMUNE AND INFLAMMATORY MEDIATORS ON GROWTH OF LUCILIA-CUPRINA LARVAE IN-VITRO

Immune and inflammatory responses occurring during dermal infestation by larvae of Lucilia cuprina can retard larval growth and development. This study examined the effect of 4 classes of humoral inflammatory m ediators on larval growth in an in vitro assay. Mediators of plasma le akage (histamine, bradykinin, platelet-activating factor and serotonin ), leucocyte chcmotactic agonists (activated complement, leukotriene B 4 and interleukin-8), effector molecules of immune responses (interleu kin-1beta tumour necrosis factor-alpha and interferon-gamma) and endot oxin all failed to inhibit larval growth. In contrast, immunoglobulins isolated from immune serum caused marked retardation of larval growth . The results suggest that humoral mediators of inflammatory and immun e responses do not play a role in immune defence against Lucilia cupri na.