Explicating the role of Immunization against Hookworm infection

Abstract

Human hookworm infection is most perilous and common loam-transmitted helminthes infection worldwide infects nearly 750 million peoples, most of them are not peculiarly symptomatic. Hookworm infection is of cosmopolitan important, considering the zoonotic importance of mice and dog hookworm Ancylostoma caninum, which are in close in association and need for understanding the human immunological responses inducing by infective larvae. A.caninum infection in mice was taken as a suitable experimental model. In the present investigation immunization with larval antigen was carried out in experimental group (vaccinated infected) where as control group (unvaccinated infected) kept as unimmunized, later both groups were challenged with 500 A. caninum larvae. The recoveries of larvae were examined under different time interval as 6, 12, 18,24,36,48 and 72, hours. After challenge infection immunization with larval antigen (25μg/mice) result in the induction of a strong protective acquired immunity with great expulsion of larvae from the gastrointestinal track and also complete destruction within the other parts of body. Results of the investigation clearly show that adoptive or acquired immunity induced by A.caninum in mice is due to an immunological reaction in which cellular factor are also important in transferring resistance. There was no difference in the migration pattern of experimental and control groups, in both the groups’ larvae followed the same pathway at same period after challenge. It has also been suggested that the elimination of larvae from gastrointestinal track and the destruction of larvae within the other body parts are also mediated by cellular and humoral immunity. This study will help in understanding in the immunology, epidemiology, public health significance and control of hookworm, and would aid to the study of this imperative parasite in the upcoming century. We envisage that understanding the interplay in the induced immune signaling by larval homogenate would spur identification of meaningful targets for useful therapeutic modalities and would help in designing a new anti-hookworm vaccine.