Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

IMMUNOPATHOLOGY OF MOUSE SMALL INTESTINE DURING AN- CYLOSTOMIASIS : A REVIEW

V.V. Vardhani

Abstract

Evidence is presented to show that the immunity-induced expulsion of third stage, infective filariform larvae from the intestine of mouse involves two separate and sequential steps. In a first step, infective larvae are damaged by protective antibodies and in a second step, the damaged larvae are expelled. The first phase involves interaction between antigens and sensitized lymphocytes and the release of pharmacologically active amines. The second phase, which is non-specific, appears to be the final effector mechanism. In this first hostopathological study of the small intestine, it is noted that the events were similar in mice which received single and repeated doses of infection - there was an acute inflammatory response predominated by eosinophils and neutrophils.