The Demonstration of Antibodies in the Intestinal Mucus of Sheep Infected with Oesophagostomum Columbianum by Means of the Percutaneous Anaphylaxis Test

Abstract

There is little evidence in the literature that a direct approach has been made to the demonstration of antibodies against helminth infections in mucus (Pierce 1959; Soulsby 1960). Soulsby attempted to detect these antibodies in intestinal mucus with haemagglutinating techniques but had no success. Less direct evidence is available, however, for the existence of immune substances in the intestinal mucus of infected animals, because Douvres (1962) has reported the existence of in vitro precipitin reactions against the third-stage and third-moult phase larvae of Oesophagostomum radiatum using intestinal extracts from infected calves. Similarly the hypertrophy of lymphoid (Soulsby 1962) and mucin (Wells 1963) cells within the intestinal tissues during nematode infections is indicative of an immune response.