Inhibition of lymphoproliferative response and its restoration with a glucan immunomodulator in mice with experimental larval toxocarosis.

A high infective dose of Taxocara canis eggs (2,500 eggs per mouse) induced a partial immunosuppression in mice, manifested by inhibition of the proliferative response of splenic T and B cells to polyclonal activators. A glucan immunomodulator given to infected animals at the beginning of the experiment showed a marked stimulative and restorative effect on the parasite-suppressed lymphoproliferative response. The ability of T. canis to migrate in the host was reduced in glucan-treated animals by 27%.