Abstract:
The ability of antibodies in bloodmeals of mice and hamsters immunized
with Leishmania major subcellular fractions and sandfly (Phlebotomus duboscqi) gut antigens to inhibit
development of L. major in its vector P. duboscqi was examined.
Antibodies from animals immunized with either L. major subcellular
fractions alone or sandfly gut antigen alone were not very effective in
inhibiting development of L. major in the sandfly. When P. duboscqi
were fed on blood from animals immunized with both parasite flagella and
sandfly gut antigen, development of L. major was significantly
inhibited ( P<0.05). Control sandflies fed on naive animals displayed a
normal pattern of parasite development to the metacyclic stage. Electron
microscopy studies showed that one of the mechanisms through which antisandfly
gut antibody can cause inhibition of parasite development is by lysing
sandfly gut epithelium. This study has demonstrated that it is possible to reduce
transmission of leishmaniosis through immunization against both the parasite
and its sandfly vector.
