TEMPORAL CHANGES IN TRICHURIS-TRICHIURA INFECTION INTENSITY AND SERUMISOTYPE RESPONSES IN CHILDREN

The present study describes Trichuris trichiura infections in a cohort of children over a period of approximately 5 years, and examines the relationships between changes in infection intensity and changes in pa rasite-specific isotype responses (measured by ELISA). The decrease in mean infection intensity with time was mirrored by time-dependent cha nges in IgG subclass responses, with IgA and IgE levels remaining rela tively constant in the cohort. At the individual level, changes in inf ection intensity between the initial and final time-points correlated positively and significantly with changes in all isotype levels with t he exception of IgA.