Acta Parasitologica, Vol. 52, No. 2, 2007, 176–180. DOI: 10.2478/s11686-007-0023-2 Jana Mojžišová*, Judit Süli, Mária Goldová, Viera Bajová and Štefan Švrček –
The effect of endoparasitism on the immune response to antirabies vaccination in puppies
Department of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases University of Veterinary Medicine Košice, Slovakia
*Corresponding author: mojzisova@uvm.sk
ABSTRACT
The specific and non-specific immune response after antirabies vaccination was studied in young dogs with altered immune
functions suffering from endoparasitoses and compared with those in healthy dogs. The degree of the immunosuppression was
confirmed by functional test of phagocytes and proliferation activity test of lymphocytes. The study indicates an association
between parasitized animals, and a depression in the immune responses. Toxocara canis, Toxascaris leonina and Trichuris vulpis
were the most prevalent parasite species. During the experiment no anthelmintic treatment was applied. In puppies suffering
from immunosuppression significantly lower specific antibody level after antirabies vaccination was demonstrated on day 28.
In such case of known immunosuppression it is recommended to repeat antirabies vaccination; primovaccination does not provide
satisfactory protection. Anthelmintic preventive treatment may be necessary to improve the immune responses to antirabies
vaccination and provide effective protection.
KEY WORDS: Endoparasitosis, dogs, immunosuppression, antirabies vaccination