CORRELATION BETWEEN IMMUNOPHENOTYPIC AND PARASITOLOGICAL PARAMETERS IN ANIMALS INFECTED BY Schistosoma mansoni

INTRODUCTION: Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease caused by the helminth Schistosoma mansoni, which affects millions of people around the world, especially in areas of low income and poor sanitation. This parasite triggers an immunological and inflammatory response in the host, often culminating in complications such as hepatosplenomegaly. In this context, the purpose of this study was to investigate the possible correlation between the immunophenotypic profile of the spleen and the parasite load in mice infected by S. mansoni. METHODOLOGY: Initially, chronic infection by S. mansoni was induced in a murine model. Swiss mice were divided into two groups, each composed of six animals: a group designated as Control (not infected) and another group called Infected. Infected animals, 70 viable Cercariae of S. mansoni, acquired from specimens of Bimophalaria glabrata (LE strain), were inoculated percutaneously. 90 days after infection, all animals were weighed and euthanized, enabling the following analyzes to be carried out: measurement of the weight of the spleen, liver and intestine; quantification of parasite load; global splenic cell count and evaluation of the immunophenotypic profile of the spleen. RESULTS: The findings of this study revealed that chronic infection with S. mansoni caused a significant increase in the relative weight of both the spleen and liver of mice. Furthermore, a reduction in the number of lymphocytes and neutrophils was observed, while the number of macrophages increased, with the number of eosinophils in the spleen remaining unchanged. A relevant finding was the identification of a positive correlation between the relative weight of the animals and the total number of splenic cells. CONCLUSION: These results significantly contribute to the understanding of the immunological and inflammatory mechanisms underlying chronic S. mansoni infection in mice, establishing potential bases for the formulation of new approaches in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of schistosomiasis.