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CHANGES IN MOUSE CIRCULATING T-LYMPHOCYTE NUMBERS DURING A NORMAL CRYPTOSPORIDIUM MURIS INFECTION AND AFTER A SINGLE INJECTION OF METHYLPREDNISOLONE ACETATE
Citation:
Miller, T A. AND F W. Schaefer. CHANGES IN MOUSE CIRCULATING T-LYMPHOCYTE NUMBERS DURING A NORMAL CRYPTOSPORIDIUM MURIS INFECTION AND AFTER A SINGLE INJECTION OF METHYLPREDNISOLONE ACETATE. Presented at Experimental Biology Meeting, San Diego, CA, April 11-15, 2003.
Impact/Purpose:
1) Refine new, practical methods for the detection of CCL-related and emerging waterborne human protozoa.
2) Perform field tests of devices or methods that have been developed under this task.
3) Evaluate these methods or devices in a variety of water matrices and parasite concentrations.
This work in this task supports CCL2 and 3 and is expected to be completed by 9/07.
Description:
Cryptosporidium species are of public health significance in both developing nations and the industrialized nations of the world. Persons with immature or compromised immune systems are said to have increased risk or mortality once infected. The objective of this study was to chart circulating lymphocyte numbers before, during and after a natural C. muris infection and to analyze the effects of a single dose of methylprednisolone acetate (MPA) on oocyst shedding and T cell numbers. Thirty-two day old female CF-1 mice were exposed and monitored for oocyst shedding. CD3, CD4, and CD8 numbers were obtained using flow cytometry from sacrificed mice over the course of the infection. In a subset of mice MPA was injected on day 15 post exposure and both T-lymphocytes and oocyst shedding were monitored. Results showed a significant increase in the duration and numbers of oocyst shed after MPA. T-lymphocytes radically decreased by greater than 90% after MPA.