The development of a vaccine that brings schistosomiasis under immunological
control has been the goal of many investigators all over the world ter decades. This
study characterizes the pharmacological profile of the NHN vaccine, a newly proposed
Schistosomaisis vaccine formulated by a group of Egyptian investigators in the National
Research Center and contains a chemically modified Biomphalaria Alexandre:a Snail
antigen. The effects of the vaccine .on isolated tissue preparations (mammalian heart,
:abbit intestine, toad's rectus abdominis muscle) and on the blood pressure of conscious
rats were determined. Possible changes in biochemical parameters related to the liver
and kidney functions were also detected. Thus, total plasma proteins, albumin, bilirubin
level, liver enzymes such alkaline phosphatase, SCOT and SGPT, plasma uric acid, urea
and creatinine were all monitored. The effects of the vaccine on reducing the worm
burden, inducing body immune response through raising the IgG titre and on reducing
the incidence of pathological changes in organs from mice vaccinated then infected
compared to mice infected without vaccination (prophylactic effect) and also in mice .
infected then vaccinated (curative effect) were all investigated.
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