Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-vdxz6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T11:35:35.319Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Heterologous immunity between piroplasms and malaria parasites: the simultaneous elimination of Plasmodium vinckei and Babesia microti from the blood of doubly infected mice

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

F. E. G. Cox
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University of London, King's College, Strand, London, WC2R 2LS

Summary

Mice which have recovered from infections with the avirulent piroplasm Babesia microti are also resistant to challenge with the virulent malaria parasite Plasmodium vinckei. In mice infected with P. vinckei before the peak of the B. microti infection the numbers of malaria parasites in the blood increase until that peak and are then eliminated at the same time as the piroplasms. In mice infected with P. vinckei at or after the peak there is no apparent multiplication and the malaria parasites begin to disappear from the blood immediately. The malaria parasites in doubly infected mice show signs of degeneration similar to those seen in mice pre-treated with Corynebacterium parvum and it is suggested that a common mechanism exists in homologous and heterologous immunity and in immunity following pre-treatment with C. parvum or BCG.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1978

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Clark, I. A., Allison, A. C. & Cox, F. E. G. (1976). Protection of mice against Babesia and Plasmodium with BCG. Nature, London 259, 309–11.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Clark, I. A., Cox, F. E. G. & Allison, A. C. (1977). Protection of mice against Babesia spp. and Plasmodium spp. with killed Corynebacterium parvum. Parasitology 74, 918.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Clark, I. A., Richmond, J. E., Wills, E. J. & Allison, A. C. (1975). Immunity to intraerythrocytic protozoa. Lancet 2, 1128–9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cox, F. E. G. (1970). Protective immunity between malaria parasites and piroplasms in mice. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 43, 325–36.Google ScholarPubMed
Cox, F. E. G. (1972 a). Protective heterologous immunity between Plasmodium atheruri and other Plasmodium spp. and Babesia spp. in mice. Parasitology 65, 379–87.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cox, F. E. G. (1972b). Immunity to malaria and piroplasmosis in mice following low level infections with Anthemosoma garnhami (Piroplasmea: Dactylosomidae). Parasitology 65, 389–98.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cox, F. E. G. (1975). Factors affecting infections of mammals with intraerythrocytic protozoa. Symposia of the Society for Experimental Biology 29, 429–51.Google Scholar
Ott, K. J. (1968). Influence of reticulocytosis on the course of infection of Plasmodium chabaudi and P. berghei. Journal of Protozoology 15, 365–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Voller, A. & O'Neill, P. (1971). Immunofluorescence method suitable for large-scale application to malaria. Bulletin of the World Health Organization 45, 524–9.Google ScholarPubMed