Antifilarial Cellular Responses Detected in a Haitian Pediatric Population by Use of a Microblastogenesis Assay

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Abstract
Previous reports have demonstrated age-related shifts in antifilarial humoral immune responses in 6- to 10-year-old Haitian children; the responses consisted of elevated parasite-specific IgG 2 and IgG3 in amicrofilaremic children and elevated IgG4 in microfilaremic children. In this study, the cell-mediated immune responses to soluble adult and microfilarial extracts of Brugia pahangi, determined by use of a microblastogenesis assay, were examined. Capillary blood samples were collected by finger prick from 176 Haitian children in an area with endemic Wuchereria bancrofti. Antigen-specific cellular responsiveness varied as a function of infection status but not age or sex; amicrofilaremic children had significantly greater responses to adult antigens than did microfilaremic children. Significant responses were detected in children <2 years of age; thus, correlations observed between filarial antigen-specific responses and infection status are established early in life.

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