Abstract: 　Objective To test the immune protection against challenge infection in mice vaccinated intranasally or intragastrically with recombinant Schistosoma japonicum (S.j) Ferritin (rSjFer). Methods Mice were divided into 8 groups each with 10 mice. They were immunized intragastically with rSjFer, CTB, rSjFer+CTB and intranasally with rSjFer, CTB and rSjFer+CTB respectively. PBS was used intragastically or intranasally as control groups. The mice were challenged with 40±1 S.j cercariae per mouse 2 wk after the third vaccinization. Forty|five days later, mice were killed and perfused, and the adult worms and eggs were counted. Serum and fecal samples were obtained before the first immunization} and the challenge infection. IgA and lgG in sera and sIgA in feces were detected by ELISA. Results The worm reduction rate was 3.98%, 3.77%, 25.57% in the intragastric vaccination groups and 7.59%, 4.50%, 33.35% in the intranasal vaccination groups respectively. The egg reduction rate was 3.76%, 2.46%, 34.75% and 4.40%, 0.06%, 60.10% respectively. Conclusion This study showed that a significant immune protection against Schistosoma} japonicum infection was induced by mucosal (intranasal and intragastic ) vaccination with rSjFer.

Key words: Schistosoma japonicum, Ferritin, mouse, mucosal vaccination, immune protection