This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Elson, L. H. Articles by Nutman, T. B. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Elson, L. H. Articles by Nutman, T. B.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Infect. Immun., Dec 1996, 5061-5065, Vol 64, No. 12
Copyright © 1996, American Society for Microbiology

In utero exposure to Onchocerca volvulus: relationship to subsequent infection intensity and cellular immune responsiveness

LH Elson, A Days, M Calvopina, W Paredes, E Araujo, RH Guderian, JE Bradley and TB Nutman
Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.

Afro-Ecuadorian individuals from an area where Onchocerca volvulus is hyperendemic have been monitored for infection over the past 16 years. To determine whether in utero exposure to O. volvulus biases a child's subsequent immune responses, children (9 to 16 years old) for whom the mother's infection status was known were chosen for study. Children of infected mothers (n = 19) had significantly higher levels of skin microfilariae than children of uninfected mothers (n = 13; P = 0.021). While the serum levels of O. volvulus-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgG subclasses, and IgE showed no significant differences between the two groups of children, peripheral blood mononuclear cells of children of infected mothers produced higher levels of Th2-type cytokines to several parasite antigens and lower levels of Th1-type cytokines to nonparasite antigens than those of children of uninfected mothers. Thus, in utero exposure to O. volvulus has a long-term effect on the child's subsequent cellular immune response that may render the child more susceptible to O. volvulus infection postnatally.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Malhotra, I., Ouma, J. H., Wamachi, A., Kioko, J., Mungai, P., Njzovu, M., Kazura, J. W., King, C. L. (2003). Influence of Maternal Filariasis on Childhood Infection and Immunity to Wuchereria bancrofti in Kenya. Infect. Immun. 71: 5231-5237 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Steel, C., Nutman, T. B. (2003). CTLA-4 in Filarial Infections: Implications for a Role in Diminished T Cell Reactivity. J. Immunol. 170: 1930-1938 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Vekemans, J., Truyens, C., Torrico, F., Solano, M., Torrico, M.-C., Rodriguez, P., Alonso-Vega, C., Carlier, Y. (2000). Maternal Trypanosoma cruzi Infection Upregulates Capacity of Uninfected Neonate Cells To Produce Pro- and Anti-Inflammatory Cytokines. Infect. Immun. 68: 5430-5434 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Montesano, M. A., Colley, D. G., Freeman, G. L. Jr., Secor, W. E. (1999). Neonatal Exposure to Idiotype Induces Schistosoma mansoni Egg Antigen-Specific Cellular and Humoral Immune Responses. J. Immunol. 163: 898-905 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Angela Montesano, M., Colley, D. G., Eloi-Santos, S., Freeman, G. L. Jr., Secor, W. E. (1999). Neonatal Idiotypic Exposure Alters Subsequent Cytokine, Pathology, and Survival Patterns in Experimental Schistosoma mansoni Infections. J. Exp. Med. 189: 637-645 [Abstract] [Full Text]