Fluke burdens, liver fluke size and biomass, fecal eggs counts, serum levels of hepatic enzymes and immune response were assessed in sheep immunized with peptide mimotopes of cathepsin L1 and challenged with Fasciola hepatica metacercariae. Twenty sheep were randomly allocated to four groups of five animals each; groups 1 and 2 were immunized at weeks 0 and 2 with mimotopes YVYRWVEAECVA and FSPAYLRDAALK, respectively; group 3 was immunized with wild-type M13KE phage and the control group received phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). All groups were challenged with 300 metacercariae at week 6 and slaughtered 16 weeks later. Groups 1 and 2 showed a reduction in fluke burden of 51.7% and 35.9%, respectively, when compared to the control group, but only the former was significant at the 5% level. Vaccinated animals showed a significant reduction in fluke length and width, wet weights and egg output. A significant diminution in the total biomass of parasites recovered was also observed in group 1. Levels of anti-phage total IgG increased rapidly within 2 weeks of the first immunization and were always significantly higher in groups 1 and 2 than in the infected control group. The fluke burden in group 1 was significantly correlated with IgG1 and total IgG. The vaccinated sheep with phage clones produced significantly high titres of IgG1 and IgG2 antibodies indicating a mixed Th1/Th2 response.
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