Variations in the immune response to natural Schistosoma mattheei infections in calves born to infected mothers

During previous work Schistosoma antibodies and circulating antigens were detected at birth in the serum from some calves born to Schistosoma mattheei infected mothers. The objectives of the present survey were: (1) to investigate the proportion of calves, born to cows infected with S. mattheei, which have specific antibodies and circulating schistosome antigens present in their serum at birth and (2) to investigate whether the presence or absence of these specific antibodies and/or circulating antigens at birth may affect the pattern of a natural S. mattheei infection in calves from 4 to 5 months of age, when the colostral antibodies are thought to be of negligible importance. A total of 28 calves born to infected mothers were randomly selected. Faeces, serum and colostrum samples were collected from the cows at calving, serum samples were collected from the calves at birth (day 0), after intake of colostrum (day 1) and monthly thereafter up to the age of 10 months. Both serum and colostrum samples were analysed for IgG(H+L) against SWAP mattheei and schistosome circulating anodic antigen (CAA) levels. The calves were exposed to a natural challenge from the age of 4-5 months. Faecal samples were collected from the calves monthly, starting at an age of 5 months up to 10 months, and were examined for faecal egg counts. Nine (group 1) out of the 28 calves were found to have specific antibodies in their serum at birth, in 5 of them CAA levels were also detected. In the other 19 calves (group 2) no IgG(H+L) or CAA were detected. At the end of the study faecal egg counts and CAA levels were significantly lower in calves from group 1 compared to group 2. Results confirm earlier work that specific antibodies and circulating antigens may be present in serum from calves at birth, and show that these calves have lower faecal egg counts and CAA levels after exposure to a natural challenge.