The mucosal cellular response to infection with Ancylostoma ceylanicum.

Although hookworms are known to stimulate inflammatory responses in the intestinal mucosa of their hosts, there is little quantitative data on this aspect of infection. Here we report the results of experiments conducted in hamsters infected with Ancylostoma ceylanicum. Infection resulted in a marked increase in goblet cells in the intestinal mucosa, which was dependent on the number of adult worms present and was sustained as long as worms persisted (over 63 days) but returned to baseline levels within 7 days of the removal of worms by treatment with ivermectin.

The effect of the hookworm Ancylostoma ceylanicum on the mucosal architecture of the small intestine in hamsters.

Hookworms are known to cause marked changes to the intestinal mucosa, especially in relation to erosion of the villi. However, since the development of enteropathy has not been examined thoroughly through quantitative experiments on infected animals, the results of experiments conducted in hamsters infected with Ancylostoma ceylanicum are reported. Changes to intestinal architecture were first apparent between 12 and 14 days after infection, and then increased in intensity for 3-4 weeks, persisting for as long as worms were present (>63 days).

Effects of Trichinella spiralis infection on intestinal pathology in mice lacking interleukin-4 (IL-4) or intestinal trefoil factor (ITF/TFF3).

The nematode Trichinella spiralis induces pathological changes in the small intestine of the host, which are known to be controlled by immune and inflammatory mediators. The detail of this control has still to be completely understood. Mice deficient in interleukin 4 (IL-4) or in intestinal trefoil factor/trefoil family factor 3 (ITF/TFF3) were infected with T.

Responses of inbred mouse strains to infection with intestinal nematodes.

Comparisons were made of the immune and inflammatory responses of four strains of inbred mice to infection with the intestinal nematodes Trichinella spiralis and Nippostrongylus brasiliensis to determine whether genetically determined 'high responsiveness' to infection, seen most clearly in intestinal responses, is independent of the parasite concerned and necessarily correlated with protection. The time course of infection was followed by counting adult worms at intervals after infection. Mucosal mast cells and Paneth cell numbers were determined as indices of the intestinal inflammatory response.

Paneth and intermediate cell hyperplasia induced in mice by helminth infections.

Hyperplasia of Paneth and intermediate cells is a recently described component of the response of the small intestine of mice to infection with the nematode Trichinella spiralis. To investigate whether this hyperplasia is parasite specific or represents a generic intestinal response to infection, mice were infected with T. spiralis, Nippostrongylus brasiliensis, Heligmosomoides polygyrus or Schistosoma mansoni and tissue samples taken at various time-points post-infection to determine Paneth and intermediate cell numbers.