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Resistance against heterogeneous sequential infections: experimental studies with a tapeworm and its copepod host

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 April 2024

J. Kurtz  and
K. Hammerschmidt
J. Kurtz*
Affiliation:
Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Max Planck Institute of Limnology, August-Thienemann-Str. 2, 24306 Plön, Germany
K. Hammerschmidt
Affiliation:
Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Max Planck Institute of Limnology, August-Thienemann-Str. 2, 24306 Plön, Germany
*
*Address for correspondence: ETH Zürich Ecology and Evolution, ETH-Zentrum, CHN J12.1, Universitätsstr. 16, CH-8092 Zürich, Switzerland Fax: +41 44 63 21 271 E-mail: joachim.kurtz@env.ethz.ch
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Abstract

Parasite heterogeneity is thought to be an important factor influencing the likelihood and the dynamics of infection. Previous studies have demonstrated that simultaneous exposure of hosts to a heterogeneous mixture of parasites might increase infection success. Here this view is extended towards the effect of parasite heterogeneity on subsequent infections. Using a system of the tapeworm Schistocephalus solidus and its copepod intermediate host, heterogeneity of the tapeworm surface carbohydrates is investigated, i.e. structures that are potentially recognized by the invertebrate host's immune system. With lectin labelling, a significant proportion of variation in surface carbohydrates is related to differences in worm sibships (i.e. families). Tapeworm sibships were used for experimental exposure of copepods to either homogeneous combinations of tapeworm larvae, i.e. worms derived from the same sibship or heterogeneous mixtures of larvae, and copepods were subsequently challenged with an unrelated larva to study re-infection. Contrary to expectation, neither an effect of parasite heterogeneity on the current infection, nor on re-infection were found. The effect of parasitic heterogeneity on host immunity is therefore complex, potentially involving increased cross-protection on the one hand, with higher costs of raising a more heterogeneous immune response on the other.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Helminthology , Volume 80 , Issue 2 , June 2006 , pp. 199 - 206
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2006

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