Humoral Immune Responses in Olive Baboons (Papio Anubis) Vaccinated With Either Radio-attenuated Schistosoma Mansoni Cercariae or Anti-idiotypic Antibodies
Abstract
Rabbits innoculated with purified baboon anti-cercariae antibodies (Ab 1)
produced second generation antibodies 2 weeks post-vaccination as detected by radial
immunodiffusion test. Anti-idiotypic antibodies (Ab2) purified from the second
generation antibodies produced a 32% inhibition against Ab 1 binding to transformed
schistosornula antigen compared to 87% inhibition produced by the schistosomula
antigen when used in place of Ab2.
Vaccination of5 baboons (Papio anubis) with the anti-idiorypic antibodies to
irradiated Schistosoma mansoni cercariae resulted in intermediate antibody levels as
compared to the high antibody levels obtained in sera of baboons exposed to irradiated
cercariae. There was a 19% reduction in worm burden on perfusion of the 5 baboons
compared to a 39% reduction in 5 baboons vaccinated with the irradiated vaccine.
Vaccination with the anti-idiotypic antibodies resulted in significant reduction of
pathology size following challenge with live unattenuated cercariae.
Results presented in this work are considered highly significant because the anti-idiotypic
vaccine markedly influenced schistosomiasis morbidity which is the main
consideration in this disease.
Publisher
University of Nairobi, Department of Mathematics