STUDIES OF THE IMMUNOLOGIC RESPONSES TO FILARIAL INFECTIONS

这个项目的目的是定义体液免疫和细胞免疫。 与免疫诊断、免疫病理学和保护性相关的反应 淋巴丝虫病、丝虫病和丝虫病患者的免疫功能 热带病。 对新的或专利前的盘尾丝虫病感染进行了血清诊断 使用纯化的重组钉螺抗原是可行的 (OV16)。以IgG4抗体为基础的丝虫感染血清学检测 检测已被证明具有增强的特异性，但这种抗体 需要6-9个月的时间才能发展，尽管慢性疾病的强烈刺激 蠕虫感染。 组织病理学和血清学证据表明嗜酸性粒细胞及其 颗粒蛋白是治疗后反应的主要决定因素 盘尾丝虫病与热带嗜酸性粒细胞增多症的肺病理 班氏丝虫病的综合征；IL-5似乎是主要的介质 嗜酸性粒细胞的反应。 患有班氏丝虫病或盘尾丝虫病的人群 检查以确定免疫参数，以区分“自然 来自受感染幼虫的43kD蛋白质， 可能是班氏丝虫病保护性免疫原已被克隆 并进行了排序；其实用有用性有待进一步研究。类似 对盘尾丝虫病的研究也发现了几种不同的 正在被提纯和评估的被识别的分子。

The purpose of this project is to define the humoral and cellular immune responses that relate to immunodiagnosis, immunopathology, and protective immunity of patients with lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, and loiasis. Serodiagnosis of new or pre-patent onchocerciasis infections has been made feasible through the use of purified recombinant onchocercal antigen (OV16). Serologic assays for filarial infection based on IgG4 antibody detection have been shown to have enhanced specificity, but such antibodies require 6-9 months to develop despite the strong stimulation of chronic helminth infection. Histopathologic and serologic evidence implicates the eosinophil and its granule proteins as a primary determinant of post-treatment reactions n onchocerciasis and in pulmonary pathology of the Tropical Eosinophilia syndrome in bancroftian filariasis; IL-5 appears to be the primary mediator of the eosinophil responses. Populations with bancroftian filariasis or onchocerciasis have been examined to define immunologic parameters that distinguish "naturally immune" from infected animals. A 43kD protein from infective larvae that may be a protective immunogen for bancroftian filariasis has been cloned and sequenced; its practical usefulness is under further study. Similar studies in onchocerciasis have also identified several differentially recognized molecules that are being purified and evaluated.