Further development of the baboon as a model for acute schistosomiasis.

Baboons develop a syndrome, including eosinophilia and transient fever, after infection with cercariae of Schistosoma mansoni that is consistent with the human syndrome of acute schistosomiasis. Radiotelemetry can be used to follow the course of fever in infected baboons. Individual variations in intensity of disease were noted in baboons. These symptoms and signs were more closely linked to the onset of oviposition by the newly matured worms than they were to the presence of migrating schistosomula or maturing worms. The baboon is concluded to be a suitable and useful model for human acute schistosomiasis mansoni.