Effects of immunization with purified specific proteins on the formation of secondary hydatid cysts in mice.

In this study, immunoreactive proteins (8, 68 and 116 kDa) of Echinococcus granulosus metacestode stages were partially purified using isoelectrical focusing by a Rotofor cell device. Sixty Swiss albino mice were separated into three experimental and three control groups (n = 10). The mice of the three experimental groups were immunized with 8, 68 and 116 kDa purified proteins, respectively. 25 days after immunization, serum samples from each group were examined to assess immunization status by Western blotting. Protoscolices were applied intraperitoneally to control and immunized groups. By necropsy, mice were examined for cyst formation, size, number and fertility 2, 5, 8, and 10 months after experimental infection, respectively. Immunization with all three proteins was found to have a significant inhibitory effect on the metacestode formation of in mice (p < 0.001).

The determination of immune reactive proteins in Cysticercus tenuicollis cyst fluids by SDS-PAGE and western blotting in sheep.

Cysticercus tenuicollis, the larva of Taenia hydatigena, is commonly seen in sheep and goats slaughtered in Turkey. In this study, the protein bands were revealed in C. tenuicollis cyst fluid antigen by using SDS-PAGE and Western blotting, and immune reactive bands were determined. Ten positive and 10 negative sera for C. tenuicollis from sheep and one non-infected sheep serum were tested in this experiment. According to the results, there was only one protein band determined to be immune reactive, which was 36 kDa.

Continuous feed medication with nitroscanate for the removal of Hymenolepis nana in naturally infected mice and rats.

In this study, the effects of nitroscanate were investigated in naturally acquired Hymenolepis nana infections in rats and mice. The natural infection was determined by centrifugal flotation technique of faeces. The infected rats and mice were divided into two treatment and two control groups (N = 10). Nitroscanate at the dose of 50 mg/kg per day was given in the diet for 4 days. The rats and mice of treatment groups were necropsied on 7th day after the last treatment together with those of control groups. Following necrospsy, in the treatment group a geometric mean of 1.07 Hymenolepis nana were recovered out of ten mice, compared with 8.14 in the control group. In the rat treatment group no Hymenolepis nana were found in ten rats, while the control group showed a geometric mean of 6.23. Nitroscanate was found to be effective 100% and 86.8% at the treatment of H. nana infection in rats and mice respectively.

Application of western blotting procedure for the immunodiagnosis of visceral larva migrans in mice by using excretory/secretory antigens.

A Western blotting procedure with excretory/secretory antigens from Toxocara canis larvae was developed for immunodiagnosis of visceral larva migrans in mice. In this study, eighty Swiss albino mice were allotted into two groups of 40 each as control and experimental groups, and T. canis ova containing infective larvae were given to mice in the latter group to form visceral larva migrans. Blood samples were taken from 5 infected and 5 control mice on days 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, and 60 after infection. After bleeding, the mice were necropsied. Slides were prepared from their brain tissues and examined for visceral larva migrans. Following this procedure, their guts were also examined for intestinal parasites. Protein bands of excretory/secretory antigens of 2nd stage larvae of Toxocara canis were determined by using SDS-PAGE. Sera from the mice were tested by Western blotting and results were compared to the protein bands obtained by SDS-PAGE to determine specific bands. Specific protein bands for visceral larva migrans were determined as 24, 28, and 48 kDa according to our test results.