Peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets in Fasciola hepatica infected and immunised goats

The proportions of CD4+, CD8+ and WC1+ T lymphocytes from peripheral blood using flow cytometry were investigated in goats infected with Fasciola hepatica and previously immunised with recombinant Cathepsin-L1 (rCL1) and Glutathione-S-transferase sigma class (GST). The immunisation trial did not induce protective responses, and no significant differences were recorded between immunised and non-immunised groups. However, there was a significant decrease in the proportion of CD4+ T lymphocytes in the infected groups both at 5 weeks post-infection (wpi), coinciding with the migratory stage of the infection, and at 12 wpi in the biliary stage of the infection. The proportional decrease in this circulating population may be related to the recruitment of CD4+ T cells in liver and hepatic lymph nodes and also to the immunomodulatory effect of the parasite through the interaction of F. hepatica excretory–secretory products (FhESP) with this cell population. To date, this is the first report about the effect of F. hepatica infection in peripheral lymphocyte subsets in goats.