The IgA antibody activities in relation to the parasitologic status of Toxocara canis in dogs.

In this study, the relationship between the IgA antibody activities to Toxocara canis infection in dogs and their parasitologic status has been examined. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was applied to the sera of dogs for the detection of the specific IgA antibodies and at the same time, autopsy and stool examination were performed on these dogs. The most elevated IgA antibody levels were observed in the one-month age group of puppies. Thereafter, the levels gradually decreased until six and 10 months of age. These low levels were maintained in adult dogs. However, the IgA antibody activities were not related to the age and the number of worms when the correlation coefficients were calculated. It was suggested from the results obtained that the elevated IgA antibodies at one month of age may have been due to the locally stimulated immunity by the adult worms grown up in the intestines and as a result, could be detected in the circulation.