Effect of hyperglycemia on the antigenic and antibody response to infection by Trichinella spiralis

Abstract

The aim of this study was to characterize the effect of hyperglycemia experimentally induced by alloxan on Trichinella spiralis infection. Thirteen days after the intraperitoneal injection of 100mgr/kgr alloxan, animals were infected with about 500 larvae of Trichinella spiralis. The results were compared to a control group of infected animals not receiving alloxan. During the enteral phase of trichinellosis (5th days after infection) hyperglycemia (163±19 vs 105±3 mg/dl, p<0.05) did not affect significantly either the number of adult enteral worms or the serum level of Trichinella circulating antigens. During the muscular phase (47th days after infection) hyperglycemic animals showed a significantly higher number of muscle larvae per gram of diaphragm muscle and a higher antibody titre. From these results we conclude that mild hyperglycemia aggravates Trichinella spiralis infection, mainly during the muscular phase; the effect of hyperglycemia is independent of the diabetogenic agent used (alloxan) which does not influence the degree of Trichinella infection.