EFFECTS OF HEAVY-METALS IMISSION ON THE CELLULAR-IMMUNITY OF GUINEA-PIGS WITH EXPERIMENTAL ASCARIOSIS

A study was performed on the short-term effects of industrial heavy me tals imission (Hg, Cu, Pb, Zn), collected at 5 km from a mercury-produ cing plant, on T- and B-lymphocytes and peritoneal macrophages of guin ea pigs with experimental ascariosis (Ascaris suum). Administration of the imission for 5 days showed a significant decrease in T- and B-cel l population and in macrophage phagocytic ability during the migration phase of Ascaris suum when compared with an infected but untreated gr oup of animals. This was also manifested by an eight-fold increase in the density of migrating ascaris larvae in the lungs. Macrophage metab olic activity in animals given imission was significantly suppressed o nly until Day 7 post-infection. The most striking decrease in the immu nological responses was observed in guinea pigs that were given imissi on but were not infected.