Survival strategy of Echinococcus multilocularis in the human host

SummaryParasitic infection during pregnancy represents a serious stress factor and affects the course of pregnancy and the foeto-maternal relationship. The infection may not clinically manifest itself, however it can modulate the immune response of the offspring for a long-time. The influence of secondary Echinococcus multilocularis infection on the proportion of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and the level of anti-Echinococcus antibodies were studied in Balb/c mice. The female mice were infected with homogenised metacestode material containing 2000 E. multilocularis protoscoleces (Group 1, 2). Group 1 was fertilised on day 60 post infection, while Group 2 remained unfertilised. Group 3 was uninfected and fertilised on the same day as Group 1. The numbers of both T cell subpopulations were higher in non-pregnant than in pregnant mice. In late pregnancy, the decline of CD4+, however, the increase of CD8+ T-cell subtypes were observed in both, infected and uninfected mothers, respectively. The strong humoral response with the high production of IgM and IgG2b antibodies in infected mice was detected. In infected mothers, IgG2b level was higher than in infected nonpregnant mice during almost whole monitored period. In Group 1, delivery caused suppression of Th2 immune response, represented by IgG1, under the level observed in uninfected mothers. The findings show the changes in helper regulatory and cytotoxic immunity mechanisms of infected mothers. In offspring of infected mothers all IgG subclasses were detected, however specific IgM were not transmitted neither transplacentary, nor transmammary.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of Echinococcus multilocularis infection on immune response of mice and their offspring

Reiterová

Antolová

2011

“…A new approaches to the therapy of alveolar echinococcosis offer the use of immunomodulators because the result of benzimidazole's therapy is complicated with pacient's immunosuppression caused by E. multilocularis metacestode. The use of cytokine IFN-g or IL-12 in combination with benzimidazole stopped the progression of disease or reduced the growth of metacestode (Vuitton et al, 2006) suggesting its usefulness in therapy. However, the using of recombinant cytokines in therapy is technically and financially demanding.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Regression of alveolar echinococcosis after chronic viral hepatitis C treatment with pegylated interferon alpha 2a

Dražilová¹,

Kinčeková

Beňa³

et al. 2012

We present a case of 53 years old patient with transplanted kidney, chronic hepatitis C and alveolar echinococcosis who was treated with pegylated interferon α which resulted in regression and calcification of Echinococcus multilocularis loculi. Patient had been diagnosed with chronic hepatitis C two years after kidney transplantation. Hepatitis was left untreated because of immunosuppressive treatment and satisfactory graft function. Nine years after transplantation the patient was diagnosed with alveolar echinococcosis and treated with mebendazole 2 × 200 mg daily for 6 months. Cessation of temporary treatment resulted in echinococcosis progression with appearance of secondary loculi and a small ascites after which mebendazole was restarted. Ten years after transplantation, kidney graft failure occurred and the patient was started on hemodialysis in conjunction with pegylated-interferon alpha 2a for treatment of chronic viral hepatitis C. Complete early viral response was observed 3 months after therapy initiation while a follow-up CT scan after 4 months did not document any changes in the number or size of E. multilocularis loculi. A completed course of antiviral therapy resulted in sustained viral response while a subsequent second follow-up CT scan 6 months after cessation of antiviral therapy documented regression and calcification of main E. multilocularis loculi along with resolution of secondary loculi and ascites.

“…The stimulative effect of liposome-entrapped drug on Th1 protective host immunity during E. multilocularis infection confirmed the results of Dvorožňáková et al (2004). The outcome of a treatment of alveolar echinococcosis might be affected by the immunological status of the host, because an establishment of immunosuppression of the host is the main aspect of the survival strategy of E. multilocularis (Gottstein et al, 2006;Vuitton et al, 2006). Many studies (Rigano et al, 1999;Borošková et al, 2003;Dvorožňáková et al, 2004) have demonstrated that antiparasitic albendazole therapy can modify cellular and humoral immunity in echinococcosis.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Immune response of mice to Echinococcus multilocularis infection after therapy with amphotericin B colloidal dispersion

Porubcová

Ševčíková

2007

47 SummaryThe effect of amphotericin B colloidal dispersion (ABCD) on selected immunological parameters and growth of the larval cysts in mice infected intraperitoneally with Echinococcus multilocularis protoscoleces was observed. ABCD was administered at a dose 10 mg/kg body weight twice a week from week 5 to 10 post infection (p.i.). The Echinococcus infection suppressed the proliferative response of splenic T lymphocytes to nonspecific mitogen concanavalin A throughout almost the whole course of the experiment and ABCD administration did not affect this inhibittion. The increase in the proliferative response of B lymphocytes to lipopolysaccharide was found in infected mice with ABCD treatment from week 6 to 10 p.i. ABCD induced a significant rise of the splenic CD4 T cell subpopulation in infected mice only on week 6 p.i. The CD8 T subpopulation was not influenced by the therapy. The level of serum Th1 cytokine IFN-γ in infected and ABCD treated mice was elevated only at week 8 p.i., while the level of serum Th2 cytokine IL-5 was not influenced by the therapy. The ABCD treatment inhibited the IFN-γ production by splenocytes in vitro from week 6 to 10 p.i. On the contrary, the IL-5 production in vitro was stimulated at weeks 8 and 12 p.i. None antiparasitic effect of ABCD on larval growth was determined. Results suggest that amphotericin B colloidal dispersion did not affect the inhibited Th1 immune response after parasite infection. On the contrary, ABCD advanced the Th2 immune response development, which allows the progressive growth of the parasite.