EXPERIMENTAL PORCINE EPERYTHROZOONOSIS - LYMPHOCYTE-T SUPPRESSION AND MISDIRECTED IMMUNE-RESPONSES

  • 1 January 1985
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 46  (4) , 821-830
Abstract
Immune responses and hematologic alterations were investigated in splenectomized pigs after i.m. inoculation with Eperythrozoon suis. Early hematologic alterations were massive parasitism of RBC, [red blood cells], severe hypoglycemia, moderate bilirubinemia and mild anemia; later findings included severe anemia, minimal parasitism of RBC, spontaneous agglutination of RBC at 25.degree. C and 4.degree. C which was reversible at 37.degree. C, transient thrombocytopenia and mild bilirubinemia. The humoral immune responses consisting of a transitory hyperglobulinemia and increase of indirect hemagglutination (IHA) titer against E. suis were attributed to IgM cold agglutinins. Cell-mediated immune responses, measured by phytohemagglutinin and pokeweed mitogen-induced lymphocyte blastogenesis, were reduced after massive parasitemia. Blastogenesis induced by Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide mitogen was increased before the hyperglobulinemia and an increase in IHA titer. There was an increase in the uptake of [3H]thymidine by lymphocytes cultured without mitogens after the decline in total globulin concentration and IHA titer.