الفهرس 
MATERIALS AND METHODSOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
The overall aim of this work is to evaluate the effect of bilharziasis on pregnancy and
offsprings. On other hand. this study estimated the effect of pregnancy on bilharziasis.
To achieve the aim of this work. inbred C57BLIB mice were divided into three main groups:
group A: Represents experimental animal model for studying the effect of bilharziasis on pregnant
mothers. This group included 90 mice classified as:
1. Test group A: Including 60 female mice each of 8 weeks age, 20 gm
weight. They were infected with a moderate dose of S. mansoni infection (40 cercariae) by tail
immersion. Then. mated 6 weeks later with normal matching syngeneic males.
2. Contra 1 group A: Inc1 udi ng 30 uni nfected fema1e mice each of 8 weeks age. 20 gm weight and
mated 6 weeks 1ater with norma 1 matching syngeneic males. Uninfected mice were bred in parallel
and both test and control animals were subsequently bred several more times.
group B: Represents experimental animal model for studying the
effect of pregnancy on bilharzial infection. This group included 90 mice classified as:
1. Test group B: Including 40 female mice each of 8 weeks age, 20 gm
weight and mated with normal matching syngeneic males. They were infected with a heavy dose of S.
mansoni infection (100 cercariae) two weeks after mating by tail immersion.
2. Control group B1: Including 20 uninfected female mice each of 8 weeks age, 20 gm weight unmated.
They were infected with a heavy dose of
S. mansoni infection (100 cercariae) after two weeks in the same time as infected female mice.
3. Control group 82: Including 30 uninfected female mice each of 8
weeks age. 20 gm weight and mated after 2 weeks with norma 1 matching syngeneic males. Uninfected
mice were bred in parallel and both test and control animals were subsequently bred several more
times.
group C: Represents experimental animal model for studying the
effect of bilharziasis on offspring. This group included 135 mice classified as:
1. Test group Cl: Including 13 offspring mice of a moderately
infected mothers of test group A. They were sacrificed 2 weeks post delivery.
1. Control group Cl: Including 8 offspring mice of a uninfected
mothers of control group A. They were sacrificed 2 weeks post-infection. The mean weight of both
offspring of test group C1 and control group C1 were recorded. Their sera were used for
immunological investigation.
2. Test group C2: Including 26 offspring mice of a moderately
infected mothers of group A at 4 weeks of age. Their weight was recorded at 6 weeks of age. They
were infected with a moderate dose of S. mansoni infection (40 cercariae) by tail immersion. They
were sacrificed 7 weeks
post-infection.
2. Control group C2: Including 20 offspring of uninfected mothers of control group A at 4 weeks of
age. Their weight was recorded. At 6 weeks of age. they were infected with a moderate dose of
infection (40 cercariae) by tail immersion. Then. they were sacrificed 7 weeks post infection.
3. Test group C3: Including 26 offspring mice of a heavily infected mothers of group B. They were
sacrificed 2 weeks post-delivery.
3. Control group C3: Including 9 offspring of uninfected mothers of control group B2. Then. they
were sacrificed 2 weeks post-infection. The mean weight of both offspring of test group C3 and
control group C3 were recorded and their sera were used for immunological investigation.
4. Test group C4: Including 39 offspring mice of a heavily infected
mothers of group B at 6 weeks of age. They were infected with a moderate dose of infection (40
cercariae) by tail immersion. They were sacrificed 8 weeks post-infection.
4. Control group C4: Including 25 offspring of uninfected mothers of control group B at 4 weeks of
age. The mean weight was recorded. At 6 weeks of age, they were infected with a moderate dose of
infection (40 cercariae) by tail immersion. Then, they were sacrificed 8 weeks post infection.
The effect of bilharziasis on pregnancy was detected in group A and group B on longevity of
mothers. number of litters and number of offsprings/litter as well as weight of offsprings.
On the other hand. the effect of pregnancy on bilharziasis and the
effect on offsprings in group B and group C. respectively were evaluated by the following
parameters:
1. Parasitological parameters: Worm load. worm distribution. tissue egg load and oogram picture.
2. Immunological parameters: Foot-pad swelling and levels of anti-S.
mansoni SEA antibodies.
3. Histopathological parameters: Measurements of granuloma size and histopathological changes in
liver.
I. As regards the effect of bilharziasis on pregnancy:
1. The longevity of infected mother in group A decreased significantly when compared with
uninfected female mice.
2. The number of litters dropped significantly in both infected female mice group A and group B
when compared with uninfected female mice.
3. The number of offsprings I 1itter from infected fema1e mice in group A and group B dropped
significantly when compared with uninfected female mice.
4. Also. the weight of offsprings at 2nd 4 weeks of age of infected
mother in all offsprings (group C3 and C2 and group C3 and C4) decreased significantly when
compared with offsprings of uninfected mothers.
II. Effects of pregnancy on bilharziasis:
A. As regards to parasitological parameters:
1. The worm burden in test group B <mated infected mother) no signi ficant difference when compared
to unmated infected fema1e mice
<control group B1).
2. All stages of ova development in test group B no significant difference when compared to unmated
infected mice <control group B).
3. Also. the egg load in hepatic and intestinal tissues no
significant difference when compared to unmated infected female mice.
B. As regards to immunological parameters:
1. A state of immunohyporesponsiveness was recorded specifically to SEA in test group B <mated
infected mother) significantly in immediate foot-pad swelling but no significantly in delayed
foot-pad swelling when compared to unmated infected female control group Bl.
mice.