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Immunoepidemiology of human necatoriasis: correlations between antibody responses and parasite burdens
Author(s) -
QUINNELL R.J.,
WOOLHOUSE M.E.J.,
WALSH E.A.,
PRITCHARD D.I.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
parasite immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.795
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1365-3024
pISSN - 0141-9838
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3024.1995.tb00897.x
Subject(s) - necator americanus , biology , parasite hosting , immunology , antibody , antigen , immune system , immunoglobulin e , population , immunosuppression , host (biology) , immunity , helminths , ecology , demography , ascaris lumbricoides , sociology , world wide web , computer science
Summary In this paper we describe the relationship between antibodies to Necator americanus stage‐specific antigens and parasite burden in an endemically‐infected population in Papua New Guinea. Using an age‐structured analysis, we show that the correlation coefficient between levels of IgG against adult worm excretory‐secretory (ES) antigen and parasite burden declined significantly with host age from positive in younger hosts to significantly negative in older hosts. A trend towards similar patterns was present for anti‐larval IgG both pretreatment and after reinfection, and for anti‐ES IgM and anti‐ES IgE pretreatment. These patterns are consistent with a role for these isotypes in a protective immune response, although parasite‐induced immunosuppression may provide an alternate explanation. This is another demonstration of possibly protective responses to N. americanus infection.,