[Dynamic changes of serum antibody titer in a rabbit model of Acanthamoeba keratitis].

ABSTRACT

Ten healthy New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into two groups named as experiment group (n=8) and normal control group (n=2). Left eyes were for experiment, right eyes served as control. New Zealand rabbits were each injected by subconjunctival route with hydrocortisone for three days, and then Acanthamoeba keratitis was induced by intrastromal injection of live Acanthamoeba healyi trophozoites and cysts. Eyes in control group were injected with equivalent volume of physiological saline. Corneal lesions of rabbits were recorded every day after injection, etiological diagnosis was carried out by corneal scraping. Blood samples were examined for serum antibody titer by ELISA. Corneas were removed for pathological examination. Corneal scraping and corneal histopathologic examination proved that experiment eyes were infected by Acanthamoeba, and appeared typical manifestations and pathological changes of Acanthamoeba keratitis. Serum antibody titer raised continuously with infection time and reached the highest level (A450 value=2.2358) on the 28th days post-infection, then began to decline and remained higher level than the control until the rabbits were sacrificed. In control group, no significant change in antibody titer had taken place.