A low molecular weight immunosuppressive factor produced by Onchocerca gibsoni.

An immunosuppressive factor(s) which is heat stable, and dialysable, with a molecular weight less than 10,000 molecular weight, and is not species specific, has been shown to be produced during the in vitro culture of Onchocerca gibsoni microfilariae. The factor(s) is capable of abolishing lymphocyte mitogenesis induced by Con A in bovine lymphocytes and PHA in human lymphocytes. The factor(s) may play a role in establishing the microfilariae in the tissues of the host by depressing cell mediated immune reactions during invasion.