The migration and survival of gamma-irradiated Schistosoma mansoni larvae and the duration of host-parasite contact in relation to the induction of resistance in mice.

The migration in mice of 20, 50 and 90 krad. 60Co-irradiated Schistosoma mansoni larvae, biosynthetically radio-isotope labelled with [75Se]-selenomethionine, was evaluated by autoradiography of compressed tissues and compared to the migration of non-irradiated 75Se-labelled larvae. The migration of 20 krad.-irradiated schistosomula between skin and lungs was slightly delayed but otherwise paralleled the migration of normal, non-irradiated schistosomula during the first 8 days following exposure. By day 8 over 90% of both non-irradiated and 20 krad.-irradiated organisms were located in the lungs. In contrast to non-irradiated organisms, however, only a small proportion of 20 krad. organisms migrated to the liver. The delay in migration between skin and lungs was more pronounced with 50 krad.-irradiated schistosomula. Nevertheless, 45-93% of 50 krad.-irradiated organisms migrated to the lungs by 8 days post-exposure. Over 90% of the 50 krad. larvae detected in the mouse on day 21 were in the lungs; no more than an occasional 50 krad.-irradiated organism was ever detected in the liver. In three experiments, over 85% of the 90 krad.-irradiated organisms were retained in the skin; in a fourth experiment about half of the 90 krad.-irradiated organisms migrated as far as the lungs. As with 50 krad. organisms, only an occasional 90 krad. organism was ever detected in the liver. Removal of the skin exposure site within the first 4 days of immunization with either 50 or 90 krad.-irradiated cercariae completely blocked the induction of resistance. Removal between the 4th and 6th days gave variable results. Mice had to be in contact with the irradiated larvae for a minimum of 8-11 days to stimulate a level of resistance comparable to that of mice whose immunization site was not removed.