Effects of Trypanosoma evansi on the output of cells from a lymph node draining the site of Pasteurella haemolytica vaccine administration.

The prefemoral efferent lymphatics of sheep infected with Trypanosoma evansi and inoculated with P. haemolytica vaccine and of those given only the vaccine, were surgically cannulated to study the effects of the infection on the total cellular output and output of blast cells from the node in response to the vaccine. T. evansi delayed and depressed the increases in total cell and lymphoblast outputs. In uninfected sheep, the total cellular output increased and peaked at more than twice the prevaccination values on days 4 and 5 after primary vaccination, but the increases were smaller and peaked on days 6 and 8 after primary vaccination in the infected sheep. The output of lymphoblasts mirrored the total cell output, though it was suppressed to a greater degree by T. evansi. The output of blasts peaked at more than 8 and 14 times the prevaccination values in the uninfected animals after primary and secondary (booster) vaccinations, respectively; but in infected animals, it peaked at twice the prevaccination values after the primary vaccination and showed no increase after booster vaccination until 11 days later. It is concluded that the inhibition of total and blast cell outputs by T. evansi may limit the early systemic dissemination of antigen-specific cells, thus playing a role in the induction of immunosuppression by the parasite.