The development of a vaccine that brings schistosomiasis under
immunological control has been the goal of many investigators all over the
world for decades. This study was designed to test the effects of NHN
vaccine which contains chemically modified Biomphalaria alexandrina
snail antigen on reducing the worm burden, stimulating body immune
response and on the incidence of pathological changes in different organs,
testing its prophylactic and its curative effects. Statistical analysis of the
results showed that NBN dose-dependantly raised the IgG titre in the
vaccinated mice.
The number of worms recovered from mice pre-injected with the
vaccine then infected with schistosomal cercariae (15 ouse) was about
10% of the number recovered from mice infected non-vaccinated.
Vaccination with NHN significantly reduced the incidence of pathological
changes in livers and intestines in infected mice. These results suggest a
possible potent effect of the compound tested (NHN vaccine) in
preventing and even curing the pathological consequences of schistosomiasis
infection. |
