Intensity of human schistosomiasis infection increases with age, a peak
being attained at early puberty. Hormones could be involved in the
age-related changes in susceptibility to schistosomiasis. Male BALB/c
mice were infected with Schistosoma mansoni either before or after
puberty and worm numbers, cellular immune responses, hormonal levels
and pathology analysed. Pre-puberty infected mice had a significantly
higher number of adult worms (p<0.05), more severe granulomas,
higher mortality rate and higher proliferative responses as compared to
postpuberty infected mice. Levels of the hormones were lower in the
pre-puberty infected mice as compared to the post-puberty group early
in the infection. Plasma levels of testosterone and luteinizing
hormones decreased significantly (p<0.05) in infected mice when
compared to controls. Susceptibility to S. mansoni in male BALB/c mice
seems to be influenced by levels of testosterone and leutenizing
hormone at infection. Albeit, an infection with S. mansoni seems to
lower the hormonal levels