Immune responses of sheep to surface antigens of infective larvae of Ostertagia circumcincta.

Immune responses to surface antigens of infective larvae of Ostertagia circumcincta were studied in 5-month old Finn-Dorset male lambs. The sheep were vaccinated subcutaneously with 2 doses of 25 micrograms/kg body weight of infective larvae surface or somatic extracts and Freund's or beryllium hydroxide adjuvants. It was found that only in lambs vaccinated with L3 surface extracts and beryllium hydroxide as an adjuvant did worm burdens differ significantly (P less than 0.01) from those of challenge controls (71.7% protection). Sheep vaccinated with the same antigenic preparation but administered with Freund's adjuvant or with beryllium adjuvant and somatic extracts demonstrated rather poor protection (32.4 and 30.5% respectively). All the vaccinated sheep showed a high IgG response to L3 surface antigens while significant levels of serum and bile IgA reacting with the surface extracts were only detected in those lambs vaccinated with L3 surface extracts and beryllium hydroxide. In immunofluorescence tests serum IgA of this group reacted with the whole surface of exsheathed larvae or with the site of opening of excretory pore while IgG antibodies reacted strongly with the anterior and posterior parts of the infective larvae. Both IgA and IgG responses to surface antigens were stage specific.