Stimuli for acquired resistance to Heligmosomoides polygyrus from intestinal tissue resident L3 and L4 larvae

L3 and L4 stages of H.polygyrus were prevented from developing further and were probably killed within 24 h of treatment with ivermectin although total parasite burdens, particularly when treatment was given 4-6 days after infection, declined over a longer period lasting several days. Strong resistance to challenge infection was expressed by infected mice dosed with ivermectin during the tissue phase of larval development. Even immunizing infections as brief as 12-36 h (when only L3 larvae would have been present in the mucosa) elicited strong acquired immunity. When infections were terminated 4-6 days after infection, acquired resistance was 95-100%. The stronger resistance of mice exposed to both L3 and L4 stages was associated with the recognition of low molecular weight polypeptides in adult worm homogenate and there was a highly significant correlation between percentage protection and anti-L4/anti-adult worm serum IgG1 antibodies.