Protective antibodies against Taenia taeniaeformis in rats infected with eggs or injected with non-viable oncospheres or recombinant antigens of oncospheres.

Antibody responses against Taenia taeniaeformis in rats infected with eggs or injected with non-viable oncospheres or recombinant antigens of oncospheres were analysed by passive transfer of serum and Western blotting. When recipient rats were injected with 1 ml serum from donors infected with eggs (infected serum), they all showed complete resistance to oral egg challenge, whereas those injected with 1 ml serum from donors injected with either oncospheres or recombinant antigens (vaccinated serum) showed no resistance. IgG and IgG subclass responses detected by Western blotting revealed that antibody responses to oncosphere antigens in infected serum thoroughly differed from those in vaccinated serum. It is suggested that IgG2 alpha responses in infected serum should be used for screening of epitopes for candidate vaccine.