Effect of Cobalt-60 Irradiation on the Infectivity of Paragonimus westermani Metacercariae

• DOI: 10.2307/3283319
• Publication Date: 2006-05-06T09:44:06Z
• Authors: Chang-cun Song; Yun-fen Duan; Gan-cheng Shou; Hua Zhu
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; Male; 0303 health sciences; Paragonimiasis; Brachyura; Antibodies, Helminth; Paragonimus; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; 04 agricultural and veterinary sciences; Disease Vectors; 3. Good health; 03 medical and health sciences; Feces; Mice; 0404 agricultural biotechnology; Gamma Rays; Cats; Animals; Cobalt Radioisotopes; 0405 other agricultural sciences; Lung

A study was made to observe the effect of cobalt-60 irradiation on the viability of Paragonimus westermani metacercariae in Sinopotamon chekiangense crabs. The crabs were collected in mountain regions of the Zhejiang Province of China in which paragonimiasis is endemic. Adult cats and albino mice were infected with metacercariae irradiated at different doses. Dissection of the host animals was conducted 90 or 30 days, respectively, after infection for recovery of lung flukes. Anti-metacercariae antibody in infected mice was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results showed that metacercariae were unable to grow into adult worms in cats after exposure to gamma irradiation at a dose of 0.10 kGray. However, a small number of metacercariae exposed to a dose of 2.0 kGray excysted and survived in 1 mouse for 30 days. No worm was recovered from mice when the metacercariae were irradiated at a dose of 2.5 kGray. Seropositive results by ELISA were obtained when the mice were infected with metacercariae irradiated at doses ranging from 2.0 to 3.5 kGray.