EFFECT OF HEAVY-METAL EMISSION ON THE IMMUNE-RESPONSE OF SHEEP WITH EXPERIMENTAL FASCIOLIASIS

The effect of industrial heavy metal emission on immune reactions was studied in lambs subsequently infected with Fasciola hepatica. The hea vy metal emission (Cu, Hg, Pb, Cd, Cr, Zn) was collected from grass at 5 km distance from a mercury plant. Administration of the emission fo r 28 days prior to infection of the animals reduced the percent circul ating T- and B-cell populations when compared with untreated animals a nd animals infected with F. hepatica only. The administration of emiss ion had no suppressive effects on the levels of circulating antibodies to F. hepatica following infection. The intensity of liver infection with mature F. hepatica in the emission-fed and infected lamb group in creased by 21.5%. This difference in comparison with control infected animals was not significant.