Anti-reticulin antibodies in sera from white mice experimentally infected with Schistosoma mansoni [schistosomiasis]

The rate of occurrence of anti-reticulin antibodies in sera from S. mansoni -experimentally infected albino mice was investigated, in order to evaluate its arising and reactivity intensity, according to the infection period of time. Indirect immunofluorescence technique on criostat sections of unfixed snap-frozen human kidney was employed. Forty-eight of 50 mice with S. mansoni infection exhibited positive reactions in variable intensity; 31 sera showed faint staining while brighter staining was shown by 17. Among the infected mice group, a greater reactivity was observed in chronically infected mice, supporting the hypothesis of a relationship between mesenquimal alterations and the presence of anti-reticulin antibodies.