Therapeutic Effect of Specific Immune Serums Against a Metazoan Parasite (Cysticercus Fasciolaris)

Abstract

Since it had been found possible1 to protect the rat against infection with Cysticercus fasciolaris by means of serums from rats infected with this cestode or artificially immunized by powdered worm, experiments were then carried out to determine whether such serums, given after infection, would inhibit development of the cysticerci. Accordingly rats were fed, by stomach tube, equal portions of a uniform suspension of onchospheres, and pooled serum from immune rats (infected with C. fasciolaris) was injected in-traperitoneally, in proportion to body weight, at varying intervals after infection. Control animals of one group received normal rat serum, and those of another group were not given serum.The results of 3 experiments with more than 140 animals show that the immune serums were effective in arresting the development of C. fasciolaris, when administered within about 9 days after the rats were fed onchospheres. At autopsy 28 days later cysts were completely, or almost completely absent in the animals ...