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Antigenic variability in Trichuris trichiura populations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 October 1998

R. M. CURRIE
Affiliation:
The Wellcome Trust Centre for the Epidemiology of Infectious Disease, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
C. S. NEEDHAM
Affiliation:
The Wellcome Trust Centre for the Epidemiology of Infectious Disease, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
L. J. DRAKE
Affiliation:
The Wellcome Trust Centre for the Epidemiology of Infectious Disease, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
E. S. COOPER
Affiliation:
Tropical Metabolism Research Unit (TRMU), University of the West Indies, Kingston 7, Jamaica
D. A. P. BUNDY
Affiliation:
The Wellcome Trust Centre for the Epidemiology of Infectious Disease, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK

Abstract

The present study examines antigenic variability for the human whipworm Trichuris trichiura. Recognition by IgG of somatic antigens of individual worms collected from 3 intensely infected children from Jamaica, West Indies has been investigated by immunoblotting. When probed with 1 plasma sample, significant differences in recognition of 2 selected antigens among worm populations and between male and female worms was observed. In addition, there was evidence for antigenic variability within worm populations at the individual worm level. Such variation may have considerable implications for the development of immunity to parasitic nematodes.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
1998 Cambridge University Press

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