Vaccination of Jirds, Meriones unguiculatus, against Litomosoides carinii and Brugia pahangi using irradiate larvae of L. carinii.

This study has shown tht exposure of jirds to radiation-attenuated larvae of one filarial species confers resistance to another species and thus indicates the potential for developing zooprophylactic regimens for the control of human filariasis. 13 and 8 Meriones unguiculatus were vaccinated with infective 3rd stage larvae of Litomosoides carinii attenuated by 40 krad Cobalt 60 irradiation and challenged with either L. carinii or Brugia pahangi respectively. Vaccinated jirds showed a 98% reduction in the expected challenge of L. carinii and a 71% reduction in the expected challenge of B. pahangi when compared to infectious in non-vaccinated controls.