Studies on Schistosomiasis. XX. Further Studies on the Immunogenic Significance of Schistosoma mansoni Eggs in Albino Mice When Subjected to Homologous Challenge

A group of experimental mice was given ten subcutaneous injections of living S. mansoni eggs at 4- to 7-day intervals. Each mouse received an approximate total of 5,500 eggs. One group of control mice received a like number of injections of the supernate from the egg suspensions; another control group remained untreated. All groups were challenged by percutaneous exposure to 100 S. mansoni cercariae at intervals ranging from 2 to 42 days after the last egg injection. Antibody response due to the egg injections was demonstrated by the miracidial immobilization test, but no increased resistance to S. mansoni challenge infection attributable to the egg injections could be demonstrated.