The lung fluke, Paragonimus westermani, is widely distributed in Korea and has been well documented as a causative parasite for human paragonimiasis.
According to long survival of this parasite against various host defense mechanisms in the infection the disease is persisted, but the fact on host-parasite relationship is still obscure.
The present study was investigated to elucidate the effect of specific antibody and complement on metacercaria of lung fluke through the observation of morphological change after incubation of both antibody and complement.
Metacercariae were collected from infected crayfish, Cambaroides similis, and excysted metacercariae were incubated with antibody (3.6mg/100l) and complement (fresh rabbit serum) in MEM (pH 7.4) at 36C, 5% CO, incubator. The observations with light, scanning (SEM) and transmission (TEM) electron microscope were made 12 and 48 hours after incubation.
The results obtained were as follows:
1. Of normal metacercariae three types of papillae (large, small domed and ciliated) and spines were observed on entire body surface with SEM.
2. In metacercariae incubated with antibody and complement, shape of worms was distorted. Flattened surface and partial fusion of paillae were also observed with SEM.
3. Typical syncitium with spines of trematodal tegument was observed with TEM.
4. On the observation of metacercaria incubated with antibody and complement with
TEM flattened tegumental surface, degenerated epidermal cells and distorted wide
protoplasmic tubules were noticed.
With above results it is presumed that antibody and complement might act directly as effectors on functional and morphological impediment of tegument of metacercariae.
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