Haemopoietic cell responses in the blood and bone marrow of sheep infected with the abomasal nematode Telodorsagia circumcincta

Abstract

The generation of bone marrow and blood haemopoietic progenitor colony-forming cells (CFCs) in sheep given primary or challenge infections with the nematode parasite Telodorsagia circumcincta is described. Ten days after a primary infection, the frequency of early multipotential-CFCs, eosinophil-CFCs, macrophage-CFCs and mast cell or basophil-CFCs was greater than in controls. These frequencies then declined to pre-infection levels by day 21. Blood CFCs (mainly macrophage-CFCs and eosinophil-CFCs) also increased after infection, indicating a migration of CFCs, presumably to the site of infection. Ten days after challenge infection there was less marked myelopoiesis than in the primary infection on day 10, though both eosinophil-CFCs and mast cell or basophil-CFCs were significantly above control values. Blood CFC output (mainly macrophage-CFCs and eosinophil-CFCs) reached a peak 2-6 days after challenge, evidence of rapid recruitment to the site of infection. Telodorsagia circumcincta infection is therefore associated with an increase in myelopoiesis, particularly for the cell types characteristic of the local inflammatory response to abomasal nematodes. There was no correlation between any of the haemopoietic cell responses measured and worm burdens in individual animals after either primary or challenge infection.