Date of Award

January 2026

Document Type

Open Access Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Public Health (MPH)

Department

School of Public Health

First Advisor

Michael Cappello

Abstract

Hookworms are a major global health burden in resource-limited settings despite ongoing control programs. This makes understanding host immune responses to infection and treatment critical to improve diagnostics and interventions. This study investigates the long-term kinetics of antibody responses following infection with Ancylostoma ceylanicum in a hamster model. Over a one-year study, groups of six hamsters were assigned to uninfected, infected, or infected then treated groups, with antibody responses measured using ELISAs. All infected animals had elevated IgG, IgM, and IgA responses by day 21 post infection. Mebendazole-treated hamsters had significantly reduced, but not eliminated, antibody levels, with IgM responses most strongly blunted over the course of infection. Following treatment, antibody levels declined gradually, which correlated with the clearance of adult worms. At 1 year post-infection, IgG and IgM had residual, slightly elevated antibody levels, particularly for IgG and IgM. After challenge at day 365, previously infected groups showed substantial resistance to reinfection compared to the control group with reduced worm burdens, absence of egg production, and dampened pathology. However, incomplete resistance in the previously treated group indicates that drug-mediated clearance of worms may modulate immune memory. These findings provide insights into the kinetics of antibody responses to hookworm infections, underscoring the potential role of these responses in mediating partial protection against reinfection. This work supports the use of the hamster model for studying hookworm immunology and pathology and informs future investigative efforts into diagnostic development and control strategies.

Comments

This is an Open Access Thesis.

Download
Open Access

This Article is Open Access

Share

COinS