Three isolates of Babesia divergens have been cultured continuously for 6 months in rat erythrocytes using the candle jar technique (Trager & Jensen, 1976). One isolate was already rat-adapted, the other two became adapted to rats through continuous culture in rat erythrocytes. Parasites were cultured in rat erythrocytes in RPMI medium supplemented with 20% foetal calf serum. The highest parasitaemia obtained was 35% and multiparasitization of red blood cells was often observed. Cultures of B. divergens remained infective to splenectomized rats. Cultures with high parasitaemias contained a large number of extracellular merozoites. When separated from the red blood cells, these extracellular merozoites retained their infectivity.

The biosynthesis and fate of 4 different dense granule proteins of Toxoplasma gondii were studied with 3 monoclonal antibodies raised against tachyzoites and 1 polyclonal antibody raised against a recombinant protein. These proteins have the following molecular weights: 27 kDa (GRA 1), 28 kDa (GRA 2), 30 kDa (GRA 3) and 40 kDa (GRA 4). All four proteins were found in dense granules by immunoelectron microscopy; in T. gondii-infected cells, they were found in the vacuolar network but, in addition, GRA 3 was also detected on the parasitophorous vacuole membrane. Therefore, dense granule contents undergo differential targeting when exocytosed in the parasitophorous vacuole. Metabolic labelling and immunoprecipitation showed that GRA 2 and GRA 3 were processed from lower molecular weight precursors, and that GRA 2 and GRA 4 incorporated [3H] glucosamine and are thus likely to be glycosylated.

The occurrence of multiple-clone Plasmodium falciparum haploid blood-stage infections is a pre-requisite for cross-fertilization and genetic exchange at the diploid stage in the mosquito. Using monoclonal antibodies against 3 polymorphic blood-stage antigens, a method of two-colour differential immunofluorescence allowed the resolution of between 1 and 4 clones/isolate. A mean of 2 P. falciparum clones was detected in the blood of malaria patients in The Gambia. The mean number of clones/patient showed no correlation with age, parasitaemia, or disease severity. There was a slight difference in mean number between sample periods, probably reflecting temporal differences in transmission intensity. A statistical analysis of 2-locus genetic diversity of clones within isolates concludes that not all multiple-clone infections result from superinfection, but that some are due to single multiple-clone inoculations.

A monoclonal antibody (OW-IGO) raised against purified excysted oocysts of Cryptosporidium parvum reacted in an immunofluorescence assay with the oocyst wall. The corresponding antigen was localized by immunoelectron microscopy in fibrillous material present in the parasitophorous vacuole of developing macrogametes and in the wall of both single and double layered sporulating oocysts. Gold particles were also detected over electron-lucent vesicles of the macrogametes by immunoelectron microscopy. On Western blotting of C. parvum oocyst extracts, major bands at 250 and 40 kDa and several minor components were recognized by Mab OW-IGO. Almost complete abolition of Western blot reactivity occurred after periodate oxidation of oocyst antigen, suggesting that monoclonal antibody OW-IGO reacts with a carbohydrate epitope. Taken together, our results suggest that a fibrillous glycoproteinic material is released in the parasitophorous vacuole from electron-lucent vesicles during gametogenesis, and later condensed in the oocyst wall.

Serotyping with monoclonal antibodies was used to estimate the number and frequencies of allelic variants of two merozoite surface proteins, MSP1 and MSP2, and an exported protein Exp-1, in a sample of 344 clinical isolates of Plasmodium falciparum from an urban region of The Gambia. Represented among the isolates were 36, 8 and 2 alleles of the MSP1, MSP2 and Exp-1 loci respectively. Relative frequencies of these alleles remained stable in the parasite population over the 2 years of the study. A computer program was used to calculate from the frequencies of individual alleles at the three loci, the probable number of different genotypes in samples from the population, assuming random assortment among the loci. No significant difference was found between the expected and the observed genotype diversity. It is concluded that recombination among unlinked loci is a common consequence of sexual reproduction of P. falciparum in The Gambia. Slightly lower genotype diversity was observed in each of two villages, which may be a consequence of smaller population size compared with the urban region.

A specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, based on a 48 kDa metallo-proteinase isolated from the frontal glands of a porocephalid pentastomid (Porocephalus crotali) in rat intermediate hosts, is described. SDS–PAGE analysis of whole nymphal homogenate, followed by Western blotting and probing with immune rat serum, revealed that only 2 protein bands label consistently; these are the 48 kDa metallo-proteinase and a 150 kDa metallo-proteinase from the body fluid, but only the former labels strongly. Furthermore this response is detected earlier and persists much longer. These characteristics uniquely qualify the 48 kDa metallo-proteinase as a diagnostic antigen. We review the literature concerning the related porocephalid Linguatula serrata from the nasal cavities of domestic dogs, which can zoonotically infect man principally through the ingestion of eggs. We conclude that the high prevalences in dogs in certain areas, most notably the Middle East, must inevitably signal significant human infections. Our ELISA can be readily adapted for the serodiagnosis of linguatulosis and this should establish whether our prediction is true.

Confocal scanning laser microscopy has been used to study the distribution of antigens expressed by the liver stages of Plasmodium berghei in cultured hepatoma cells. The 3-dimensional images obtained of intact parasites clearly show complex patterns of antigen expression not apparent when using conventional IFAT or immunoelectron microscopy. A liver-stage specific antigen (Pbl 1) was shown to be confined to the parasitophorous vacuole; the vacuole has extensive diverticulae extending into the host cell. Small parasites were detected for the first time in ‘mature’ cultures. These did not represent a distinct population, but the ‘tail’ of a broad continuum of parasite sizes. Irradiated sporozoites produce a transient population of slow-growing parasites which express a very limited range of antigens de novo in the invaded hepatoma cell. A comparison of the reactivity of text-abstract EE parasites with anti-circumsporozoite antibody and with anti-Pbl 1 suggests that the former reagent may reliably be used to identify sporozoites invading host cells, but should not be used to determine the number of parasites that successfully undergo intrahepatic development. Anti-Pbl-1 indicates on 33% of invaded sporozoites identified by anti-CSP subsequently differentiate.

Transfer of Eimeria apionodes from wood mice directly into untreated laboratory mice was unsuccessful but transfer into corticosteroid-treated animals produced an oocyst output, about 1000 times less than that observed from wood mice after a similar inoculum. Repeated passage through corticosteroid-treated laboratory mice resulted in a line adapted to survival in untreated animals. This line was compared with the parent strain maintained in wood mice and some features of the oocyst output patterns, notably the pre-patent period, appeared to be controlled by the host species. The oocyst production of each population was higher in the host species to which it was adapted than in the other host species (P > 0·001). Once adapted to laboratory mice, the line produced insignificantly different levels of oocysts in corticosteroid-treated and untreated animals (P > 0·05).

A comparison was made of the long-term impact of different methods of administration of chemotherapy (oxamniquine, 30 mg/kg in divided doses; or praziquantel, 40 mg/kg) on prevalence and intensity of Schistosoma mansoni infection in four areas in Kangundo Location, Machakos District, Kenya. In Area A, treatment was offered in October 1983 and again in April 1985 to all infected individuals. In Area H, treatment was offered in April 1985 to individuals excreting ≥ 100 eggs per gram (epg) of faeces. In Area H, treatment was offered in April 1985 to all infected school children, within the framework of the primary schools. In the witness area, Area W, treatment was given in April 1985, for ethical reasons, to a small number of individuals excreting ≥ 800 epg. Prevalence and intensities of infection were subsequently monitored at yearly intervals for three complete post-treatment years. In the Area S schools, clinical examination was also carried out at yearly intervals. Treatment of all infected individuals on two occasions (Area A) was the most effective and long-lasting way of reducing prevalence and intensity of infection. In this area, however, some earlier interventions had been carried out and pre-treatment intensities were lower than in the other areas. Treatment only of infected schoolchildren (Area S) also had a marked and prolonged effect, comparable to or better than treatment of individuals with heavy infections (Area H). Treatment of infected schoolchildren also caused a persistent reduction in the prevalence of hepatomegaly, and there was suggestive evidence from intensities of infection in community stool surveys (but not from incidence rates) of an effect on transmission. In all study areas, reinfection was most rapid and most intense among children. These findings are discussed in the light of theoretical considerations and of results from other studies, both on schistosomiasis and on intestinal helminths. We conclude that, in areas of low morbidity such as Kangundo, chemotherapy of schoolchildren only, at intervals of up to 3 years, is a satisfactory way of producing a long-term reduction in both intensity of infection and morbidity.

Reversal of chloroquine (CQ) resistance by verapamil, a Ca2+ antagonist, has been shown in CQ-resistant human and rodent malaria parasites. Here, we report ultrastructural changes associated with this phenomenon in CQ-resistant Plasmodium chabaudi (AS strain) after infected mice were administered CQ and verapamil. At parasitaemias of 5–7%, CQ at 6 mg/kg caused little morphological effect on CQ-resistant parasites. In contrast, co-administration of CQ and verapamil at 50 mg/kg induced swelling of food vacuoles with clumped pigment at 2.5 h. Morphological changes other than food vacuole enlargement occurred at 21 and 45 h: disappearance of endoplasmic reticulum, formation of myelin structures, focal cytoplasmic vacuolization and coarse clumping of electron-dense material in nuclei. These structural changes appeared to be very similar to those observed in CQ-sensitive P. chabaudi in mice injected with CQ alone or CQ plus verapamil. On the other hand, verapamil at 50 mg/kg alone did not induce any effect on both CQ-sensitive and CQ-resistant P. chabaudi. These results suggest that swelling of the food vacuoles is an initial event associated with reversal of CQ-resistance by verapamil.

Human neutrophils were infected with tachyzoites of Toxoplasma gondii in vitro. Infection rates after 1 h of incubation were 38·6–52·0% and 16·0–25·8% in the presence or absence of specific antibody respectively. Apparently, neutrophils killed tachyzoites 18 h after infection in the presence of antibody, whereas tachyzoites proliferated in 25·0–35·0% of infected neutrophils in the absence of antibody. Total tachyzoite counts 18 h after infection were approximately 4 times as high as those 1 h after infection in the absence of antibody and complement. Complement also enhanced phagocytosis and killing of tachyzoites by neutrophils, but the effects were less than that of antibody. Superoxide anion was produced intensively within 1 h after infection, depending on the presence of antibody or complement. Neutrophils seem to be responsible for dissemination of tachyzoites in the host during the initial phase of Toxoplasma infection until antibody is produced.

The thermal preferences of two strains of the snail Biomphalaria glabrata, one resistant to, and one susceptible to, the parasite Schistosoma mansoni were determined in an aquatic thermal gradient. Snails were tested without exposure to the parasite, and 2 h and 5 weeks after exposure to trematode miracidia. The mean temperature selected by susceptible strain snails 2 h post-exposure tended to be lower than that of unexposed controls, although this was not statistically significant. In this strain, at 5 weeks post-exposure, the preferred temperature dropped by 1.9±0.5°C. The resistant strain displayed a significant drop of 1.8±0.6°C 2 h post-exposure. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that a drop in mean temperatures selected by snails is due to altered levels of endogenous cytokines such as IL-1 or TNF in association with parasite activation of the snail internal defense system.

Variations in the amount of water contact made by individuals and in the amount of water contact made at different sites may have significant impacts on patterns of human schistosome infection. Previous studies have reported variations in the rate of water contact and differences in the sites used between age/sex classes, but there is limited information on variations in individual water contact behaviour. In this paper we report and analyse observations of essentially all water contacts made over a two week period by all individuals in a rural community in eastern Zimbabwe. The mean rate of water contact was 0.43 contacts/person/day. These data were over-dispersed, ranging from zero to 3.3 contacts/person/day; 90% of contacts were made by only 37% of the population. Contact rates were related to age (highest in 8 to 10-year-olds) but not sex, with substantial variation unaccounted for by these variables. Age and sex classes differed in types of water-related activities and the time of day of contact. A greater diversity of sites was used by children than by adults and by males than by females. Individual contact rates were correlated with intensities of infection, although the risk of infection per contact was estimated to be highest in 2 to 4-year-old children and higher for males than females. Five contact sites were used during the study period, with more than 50% of contacts occurring at just 2 sites. Different age and sex classes used different sites and there were additional site-related differences in types of activity and the time of day of use. The implications of these water contact patterns for schistosome epidemiology are discussed. In particular the results provide strong quantitative support for control programmes aimed at heavily used sites (e.g. focal mollusciciding) or at the minority of individuals making most water contacts (e.g. targeted chemotherapy).

In the rodent malarial parasite Plasmodium berghei sexual parasites are produced in a single major wave with maximal numbers between day 7 and day 16. Irrespective of their time of appearance during infection these sexual parasites are equally fertile in vitro. In contrast, in vivo infectivity to the mosquito is maximal at day 3–5 when gametocyte numbers are only 9% of the peak levels seen between days 7 and 16. Up to 96% of natural potential infectivity of gametocytes for the mosquito is therefore suppressed. The suppression is humoral, reversible and correlates with the appearance of an effective host response to the initial rapid increase in asexual parasitaemia. These data are consistent with published evidence which indicates that a reduction in parasitaemia may cause an increase in infectivity of gametocytes to the mosquito vector. Therefore the impact of strategies aiming to control asexual parasites is re-examined. Inefficient strategies might be predicted to increase and not suppress malaria transmission.

Neutrophil chemotactic activity was detected in the fluid of Toxoplasma gondii cultures by the agarose plate and the Boyden chamber methods. Toxoplasma culture fluid was obtained by incubating the tachyzoites at 37 °C in a 5% CO2 atmosphere for 6 h in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's minimum essential medium containing 10% heat-inactivated foetal calf serum. Soluble extracts from tachyzoites had negligible activity, indicating that the chemotactic factors were metabolites secreted from tachyzoites. The chemotactic activity in Toxoplasma culture fluid depended on the number of tachyzoites and the period of incubation. The substances responsible for neutrophil chemotaxis were two heat-labile peptides with estimated Mr 4·5 and 14 kDa with N-terminal groups free.

In haemolymph of Lymnaea stagnalis, parasitized with the digenetic trematode parasite Trichobilharzia ocellata, a neuropeptide (schistosomin) occurs which antagonizes female gonadotropic hormones, e.g. calfluxin (CaFl). By means of an ultracytochemical hormone-assay, the CaFl assay, it was demonstrated that the occurrence of schistosomin is a general phenomenon in schistosome-infected freshwater snails. Haemolymph of the schistosomiasis-transmitting snail species Biomphalaria glabrata and B. pfeifferi, parasitized with Schistosoma mansoni, also appeared to contain an antagonizing factor, i.e. schistosomin. In contrast, in haemolymph of L. stagnalis parasitized with Diplostomum spathaceum (Diplostomatidae) no schistosomin could be found. This suggests that schistosomin may only occur in snails infected with parasites belonging to the Schistosomatidae. The effect of schistosomin is rather specific. Haemolymph of B. glabrata parasitized with S. mansoni had not the capacity to inhibit the response to CaFl in the target organs for CaFl, the albumen glands of L. stagnalis and Bulinus truncatus. The same holds true for haemolymph of infected L. stagnalis: it did not inhibit the CaFl response in glands of B. glabrata and B. truncatus and even not in those of a related species (L. ovata). Schistosomins in haemolymph of infected B. glabrata and B. pfeifferi, on the other hand, seem more related. Both appeared to inhibit the hormone response in glands of the two Biomphalaria species studied. The results indicate that schistosomin in haemolymph of schistosome-infected pulmonate snails, although functionally related, may differ structurally.

Tubulin biosynthesis was rapidly induced during transformation of the mammalian (amastigote) stage of the kinetoplastid parasite Leishmania donovani to flagellated promastigotes. However, transcription of β-tubulin genes occurred constitutively, as judged by nascent RNA synthesis in isolated nuclei and Northern blotting of steady-state mRNA. Two mRNA species of 2.2 and 2.4 kb were shared by the two cell-types, while a third 2.6 kb species, constituting about 20% of the total, was present in large amounts in promastigotes. RNase protection experiments demonstrated sequence micro-heterogeneity in the 5′-untranslated region, the pattern of which was identical in promastigotes and amastigotes. By primer extension assays, heterogeneity in the 5′-terminal cap structure of amastigote β-tubulin mRNA and differential pausing of reverse transcriptase within the mini-exon leader region were detected. These differences correlated with enhanced translational efficiency of tubulin mRNA from promastigotes in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate system. The results indicate that translational control plays a major role in tubulin induction during L. donovani differentiation.

Infection with Giardia lamblia often causes only minor mucosal changes to the small intestine yet frank fat malabsorption may still occur. Some evidence suggests abtext-abstract pancreatic exocrine function in subjects with giardiasis although the mechanism and significance of this is unclear. Studies were conducted in vitro to determine the effect of G. lamblia trophozoites or culture filtrates from the organism on lipolysis of triglyceride by porcine pancreatic lipase. Live trophozoites significantly inhibited lipolysis. The degree of inhibition increased with longer duration of lipase exposure to trophozoites. Total amounts of enzyme inhibited were proportional to enzyme concentration, while the percentage inhibition was greatest at lowest concentration. At a lipase concentration of 1·7 i.u./ml, enzyme activity was reduced by 89·7% compared to controls after incubation for 4 h with trophozoites. The effect was abolished using killed, intact trophozoites. Culture filtrates of G. lamblia did not inhibit lipolysis. Specificity of the effect was suggested by the failure of another flagellate protozoan, Trichomonas vaginalis, to inhibit lipase. In this assay system the inhibition of lipolysis was not dependent on the bile salt concentration present. The impact of this effect in vivo remains to be determined but it may contribute to fat malabsorption in giardiasis.

The inheritance of variant surface antigens in Trypanosoma brucei has been determined by identifying variable antigen types (VATs) in each of two cloned parental stocks and then examining the presence and abundance of these VATs in hybrid progeny produced when these stocks undergo genetic exchange during co-transmission through tsetse flies. Nine VATs have been identified from the repertoire of the parental stock STIB 247L and 5 VATs have been identified from the parental stock STIB 386AA; the identified VATs were exclusive to each stock. Their inheritance was elucidated using two assays. In the first, repertoire antisera (RAS) containing antibody specificities to many different VATs were raised in rabbits to the 2 parental stocks and 6 progeny clones. The presence of VAT-specific antibodies in these RAS was then determined by antibody-dependent complement-mediated lysis. In the second assay, the 2 parental stocks and 4 hybrid progeny clones were each independently transmitted through tsetse flies and VATs observed using VAT-specific antisera in indirect immunofluorescence of metacyclic trypanosomes and in bloodstream forms of fly-bitten mice. The results from both assays showed that (1) both metacyclic- and bloodstream-VATs were inherited into the progeny, (2) each hybrid progeny clone contained some VATs from both parents, (3) hybrids did not express all the VATs from either parent, (4) there was little apparent pattern as to which VATs had been inherited and which had not and (5) the VAT repertoires of the hybrid progeny appeared to be larger than those of the parents. In addition, two results indicated that control of VAT expression remains unaltered after genetic exchange. Firstly, the immunofluorescence results showed that VATs present in hybrid trypanosomes were expressed at the same stage during an infection and at approximately the same prevalence as in the parent. Secondly, a double-labelling experiment using direct immunofluorescence indicated that individual hybrid trypanosomes did not generally simultaneously express more than one VAT. Taken together, these results demonstrate that recombinant VAT repertoires are created when trypanosomes undergo genetic exchange and that genetic exchange is a mechanism whereby the generation of new serodemes can occur.

A monoclonal antibody (MAb G11) species-specific to the Em2 antigen of Echinococcus multilocularis was generated for (i) further biological characterization of the Em2 antigen, (ii) easy affinity-purification of Em2 antigen for immunodiagnostic and immunological investigations and (iii) development of a sandwich-ELISA for the detection of Em2 antigen in diagnostic samples and thus species-specific identification of E. multilocularis metacestode material. The MAb G11 was used in an antibody sandwich-ELISA to detect soluble Em2 antigen with a methodical sensitivity of 80 ng E. multilocularis antigen/ml of solution. MAb G11 specifically detected Em2 antigen in all of 15 E. multilocularis-isolates originating from various geographical areas and in none of other helminth isolates (e.g. Echinococcus granulosus, E. vogeli, and others). Further biological analysis by FITC-labelled MAb G11 demonstrated unique binding activity to the laminated layer of the metacestode. Also, oncospheres were binding FITC-labelled MAb G11 on an outer layer synthesized during cultivation in vitro for 13 days after hatching. Application of the MAb G11 antibody sandwich-ELISA for investigation of solubilized oncospheres confirmed the in vitro synthesis of Em2 antigen by oncospheres on day 13 p.i. Adult stages (somatic antigens) and freshly hatched oncospheres were always MAb G11 negative. Solid-phase MAb G11 was used for purification of the corresponding Em2 antigen by affinity chromatography. A preliminary serological evaluation of the Em2(G11) antigen by ELISA revealed identical immunodiagnostic characteristics, compared to Em2 obtained by classical means, thus suggesting the presented method for future isolation of large-scale Em2 antigen.