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

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Infection and Immunity, May 2002, p. 2472-2479, Vol. 70, No. 5
0019-9567/02/$04.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/IAI.70.5.2472-2479.2002
Copyright © 2002, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Antigenic Diversity in Eimeria maxima and the Influence of Host Genetics and Immunization Schedule on Cross-Protective Immunity

Adrian L. Smith,* Patricia Hesketh, Andrew Archer, and Martin W. Shirley

Institute for Animal Health, Compton Laboratory, Compton, Newbury, Berks RG20 7NN, United Kingdom

Received 6 August 2001/ Returned for modification 16 October 2001/ Accepted 28 January 2002

Eimeria spp. are a group of highly successful intracellular protozoan parasites that develop within enterocytes. Eimeria maxima from the chicken is characterized by high immunogenicity (a small priming infection gives complete immunity to subsequent homologous challenge) and naturally occurring antigenically variant populations that do not completely cross-protect. In this study we examined the expression of antigenic diversity in E. maxima, as manifested by cross-strain protection in a series of inbred chicken lines. The IAH line of Light Sussex chickens and all lines of inbred White Leghorns were susceptible to primary infections with either of two strains (H and W) of E. maxima and were protected completely against challenge with the homologous strain of parasite. The extent of cross-protection against the heterologous parasite strain varied from 0 to almost 100% depending on host genetics. Interestingly, in one inbred line of chickens (line 15I) the cross-protective phenotype was directional and intensely influenced by the infection history of the host. The basis for the observed variation in cross-protection is not known, but our results suggest that the major histocompatibility complex is not a major genetic component of the phenotype. These results are discussed in relation to the number of protective antigens presented by complex pathogens and the development of immunoprotective responses in hosts of different genetic backgrounds.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Institute for Animal Health, Compton Laboratory, Compton, Newbury, Berks RG20 7NN, United Kingdom. Phone: 44 1635 577293. Fax: 44 1635 577263. E-mail: adrian.smith{at}bbsrc.ac.uk.

Editor: J. M. Mansfield

Infection and Immunity, May 2002, p. 2472-2479, Vol. 70, No. 5
0019-9567/02/$04.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/IAI.70.5.2472-2479.2002
Copyright © 2002, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Baeta, R, Faivre, B, Motreuil, S, Gaillard, M, Moreau, J (2008). Carotenoid trade-off between parasitic resistance and sexual display: an experimental study in the blackbird (Turdus merula). Proc R Soc B 275: 427-434 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Rothwell, L., Young, J. R., Zoorob, R., Whittaker, C. A., Hesketh, P., Archer, A., Smith, A. L., Kaiser, P. (2004). Cloning and Characterization of Chicken IL-10 and Its Role in the Immune Response to Eimeria maxima. J. Immunol. 173: 2675-2682 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»