The Effect of Cercarial Antigen Vaccine against Murine Schistosomiasis mansoni

Schistosomiasis is one of the most common parasitic diseases worldwide. Because of the low bioavailability of praziquantel and the appearance of drug resistant strains, the development of an effective vaccine is crucial to control schistosomiasis. To test the effect of cercarial antigen as a potential vaccine against Schistosoma mansoni -infected mice. Methods: 90 mice divided into 2 groups: group I: (Control group) (40 mice) subdivided into subgroup Ia (15 mice): Non-infected mice (normal control) and subgroup Ib (25 mice): Schistosoma infected mice (infected control). Group II: (50 mice) (The vaccinated group): received cercarial antigen then infected with S. mansoni three weeks after the first immunization dose. Vaccine efficacy was assessed by parasitological and histopathological studies. The vaccinated group caused significant reduction in adult worms count, intestinal egg countand intestinal granulomas size and number compared to the infected control group. Cercarial antigen vaccine is a promising schistosomal antigen that has a protective effect against Schistosoma mansoni as proved by parasitological and histopathological examination.