The interactions between macrophages and developmental stages of Schistosoma mansoni: effect of macrophage function modulators on the viability of S. mansoni in vivo and in vitro.

ICR mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni developed sizable concomitant immunity to a challenge infection 10 weeks, but not 7 weeks, following the primary infection. At 7 weeks, postprimary-infection mice exhibited increased resistance to reinfection when treated with BCG or MDP. BCG even rendered noninfected mice resistant to infection. Macrophage function inhibitors such as silica and trypan blue did not abolish the concomitant immunity state, but they increased the worm burden due to a single infection, whether given before or after the infection. The onset of concomitant immunity in infected mice was paralleled by the appearance in their peritoneal exudate of schistosomulicidal-adherent macrophages. Such cells were evident at 9 but not 7 weeks of infection. The in vivo injection of MDP accelerated their appearance in infected mice, while silica, trypan blue, and carrageenan abolished it. The findings suggest that highly activated schistosomulicidal macrophages develop in infected mice, and might participate in the destruction of the invading parasite.