Eosinophil responses to Fasciola hepatica in rodents.

Qualitative and quantitative cellular changes in the peripheral blood and bone marrow of resistant (rat) and susceptible (mouse) hosts of Fasciola hepatica have been examined. Eosinophil numbers in the peripheral blood and bone marrow of both hosts increased almost immediately following infection. Rats responded more rapidly than mice. Bone marrow colony formation in both rats and mice was greatly enhanced following F. hepatica infection. Injection of excretory/secretory (E/S) antigens of the fluke into rats and mice caused peripheral eosinophilia. Eosinophil levels in mice dropped by day 7 post-injection, but those in rats remained high. Eosinophil precursors in the bone marrow of injected animals also rose. Bone marrow colony formation in antigen-injected mice peaked sharply at day 7 but then fell rapidly. Rats injected with E/S antigens had about twice the level of bone marrow colonies as controls, 12 days post-injection. For most parameters measured, the magnitude of the responses of rats was greater than mice, which may be significant in the context of the rat's ability to acquire resistance to reinfection.