A COMPARISON OF MUCOSAL INFLAMMATORY RESPONSES TO GIARDIA-MURIS IN RESISTANT B10 AND SUSCEPTIBLE BALB C MICE/

In the first three weeks of primary Giardia muris infections BIO mice clear infection more rapidly than BALB/c mice. There is evidence that interferon-gamma contributes to the relative resistance of BIO mice. T he nature of the functional contribution of interferon-gamma is unclea r and does nos relate to the secretory or serum antibody response. Muc osal inflammatory events in these strains have been studied. Apart fro m a small rise in both strains of goblet cell and mucosal mast cell nu mbers, associated with release of mast cell protease-1 in serum, no in flammatory infiltrate was observed at the time trophozoites were clear ed from the intestinal lumen. Inhibition of mast cell products (5-hydr oxytryptamine and histamine) by cyproheptadine enhanced the intensity of infection in both strains, The relative resistance of B10 mice coul d not be explained in terms of the mucosal inflammatory response.