Mast cell, eosinophil and IgE antibody response of BALB/c mice to percutaneons infection with the canine hookworm Uncinaria stenocephala

The host-parasite relationship of the post-infection tissue resident and mi gratory stages of Uncinaria stenocephala are areas, which have received ver y little attention to-date. In the present experiments cellular and serum a ntibody responses were evaluated in mice infected percutaneously with infec tive larvae of the nematode. Significant eosinophil infiltration was observ ed in the skin at the site of infection. The number of these cells increase d significantly (p<0.01) and dramatically at the site of the first infectio n (abdomen) within 24 h of exposure to the second dose of larvae which was administered at a different site (back). A clear IgE response of mice to so matic and surface antigens of L3 was observed. There was no further increas e in IgE to the somatic antigen preparations following challenge, but a sig nificantly higher concentration of IgE reactivity to surface antigens was d etected 14 days after challenge. A short-lived, IgM, IgG and IgA response t o the somatic antigens was also detected.</abstract> <kwdgroup> </kwdgroup> </itemdata>