Acquired resistance in goats following a single primary Schistosoma bovis infection

Abstract

The course of Schistosoma bovis infection was monitored in West African Dwarf Goats over a 34-week period following primary, experimental exposure (3000 cercariae/animal) and over a 17-week period following challenge exposure (2500 cercariae/animal) of goats harbouring 17-week old primary infection. For comparison, groups of challenge control and parasite-free control animals were monitored. Maximal egg excretion observed from week 8 to 12 following primary infection was accompanied by reduced weight gain, marked anaemia, hypoalbuminaemia and eosinophilia. These changes gradually diminished in parallel with decreasing egg excretion from week 14 onwards. Challenge infection induced neither additional egg excretion nor adverse effects in primary-infected animals. This was in contrast to challenge control animals which revealed the typical course of experimental schistosome infection including a peak of egg excretion, weight gain affection, and associated clinico-pathological changes. It was concluded that goats are capable of mounting an effective regulatory response to single primary S. bovis infection as well as to superimposed homologous challenge infection. Further elucidation of the regulatory response to S. bovis infection in goats are needed in order to determine its possible immunological background and epidemiological impact.