Background
Worldwide, at least 165 million cattle are infected with Schistosoma, a trematode from the mesenteric veins. In endemic areas, almost all cattle from herds in contact with cercarial infested water become infected very early in life. At this age, the immunological reaction towards infection of calves could depend greatly on the immunological information received from their mother either prenataly through the placenta or postnataly via the colostrum. In human and experimental schistosomiasis, it has been described that perinatal transfer of immunological information from the mother to the newborn could cause sensitisation or tolerance effects towards schistosomal antigen, which might influence the development of disease as specific lesions in schistosomiasis are largely dependant on the host's immune response. The possible modification of the immune response could be of great importance not only for generating immune responses to natural infections, as well as to enhance the immunogenicity and efficacy of vaccines administered to newborns. In bovine schistosomiasis nothing is known about the transfer of maternal/colostral immunity and its importance. The placenta of ruminants is syndesmochorial; that is the chorionic epithelium is in direct contact with uterine tissues. In this type of placenta, the transplacental passage of immunoglobulin molecules is totally prevented and therefore it is assumed that the newborns are entirely dependant on antibodies received through the colostrum.
Current research
The objectives of the present studies are to
(1) collect more information on the overall epidemiology of cattle schistosomiasis
(2) study the efficacy of Schistosoma vaccines
(3) investigate the importance of maternal and colostral immunity on the subsequent infection in young calves.
CONTACT
Prof. Dr. Jozef Vercruysse 
Publications since 2002
Gabriel, S., De Bont, J., Phiri, I.K., Masuku, M., Riveau, R., Schacht,, A.M., Billiouw, M., Vercruysse, J., 2002. The influence of colostrum on early Schistosoma mattheei infections in calves. Parasitology 125, 537-544.
Gabriel, S., De Bont, J., Phiri, I.K., Masuku, M., Riveau, G., Schacht, A.M., Deelder, A.M., Van Dam, G., Vercruysse, J., 2002. Transplacental transfer of schistosomal circulating anodic antigens in calves. Parasite Immun, 24, 521-525.
Gabriel, S., Phiri, I.K., Van Dam, G.J., Deelder, A.M., Duchateau, L., Vercruysse, J., 2004. Variations in immune response to natural Schistosoma mattheei infections in calves born to infected mothers. Vet Parasitol 119, 177-185.
Gabriel, S., Geldhof, P., Phiri, I.K., Cornillie, P., Goddeeris, B.M., Vercruysse, J., 2004. Placental transfer of immunoglobulins in cattle infected with Schistosoma mattheei . Vet Immun Immunopathol 104, 265-272.
Gabriël, S., Dorny, P., Duchateau, L., Phiri, I.K., Chembensofu, M., Vercruysse, J., 2005. The influence of colostrum on infection of calves around 7 months of age with Schistosoma mattheei. Vet Parasitol 129, 55-60.
Gabriël, S., Ververken, C., Vercruysse, J., L. Duchateau, Phiri, I.K., Goddeeris, B.M., 2007. Perinatal priming of calves born to Schistosoma mattheei-infected dams. Vet Parasitol 144, 61-67.