The kinetics of serum antibody response against infection with
Echinococcus multilocularis eggs was evaluated in AKR
mice. The animals were infected by oral inoculation with 300 parasite eggs,
and necropsied at 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 12 and 16 weeks
post-infection (p.i.), respectively. The parasite formed the laminated
layer
at 4 weeks p.i., the brood capsule with a massive
proliferation of germinal cells at 9 weeks p.i. and protoscoleces at
16 weeks p.i. Serum antibody responses of the mice to
antigen preparations from metacestodes of different stages and protoscoleces
were evaluated by ELISA, immunoblotting
and immunohistochemistry. In ELISA, the antibody responses began to
increase at 4 weeks and became more apparent
at 9 weeks p.i. and thereafter. Immunoblots using sera collected at
16 weeks p.i. showed some common bands among the
3 different antigen preparations. In addition to this, the germinal cells
and brood capsules of mature metacestodes were
stained strongly in an immunohistochemical study. From above, it is suggested
that some antigen molecules are expressed
in the parasite through these stages and stimulated host antibody responses.