Abstract
Summary
Infection with T. spiralis larvae greatly increased the susceptibility of mature mice to fatal CNS disease when challenged peripherally with JBE virus 7 days after administration of larvae. By 28 days following T. spiralis infection, susceptibility to JBE virus returned to control levels. It was found that this parasite caused a suppression of the neutralizing and complement-fixing antibody responses to JBE virus, whether challenged at 7 or 28 days. In contrast, infection with N. dubius larvae, or irradiated larvae of either parasite, had no effect on susceptibility or antibody responses to virus. Evidence of T. spiralis larval migration into the brains of infected mice was not observed. Increased corticosteroid hormone levels, suppression of the humoral antibody response, or changes in fixed macrophage phagocytic activity did not appear to constitute potential mechanisms for the increased susceptibility of T. spiralis-infected mice to JBE virus. 1
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