Schistosomiasis is the second commonest parasitic disease worldwide. It is responsible for thousands
of deaths per year in addition to the associating serious morbidities that burden both individuals and
communities. To date, the main preventive measure of infection is mass treatment with praziquantel. it
carries the risk of reinfection and rising resistance which makes the discovery of an effective vaccine
an urgent necessity. The present study evaluated E. camaldulensis killed cercariae immunogen (KCI)
as a candidate vaccine for experimental schistosomiasis mansoni and to detect the possible immunological
mechanisms of action of this immunogen. The KCI caused a significant reduction of both
schistosomula and adult worm counts with subsequent ova count reduction. Hepatic granulomas were
reduced in number or size. Also, levels of IgG, IgG1 & IgG2a as well as INF-γ & IL-10 fluctuated
larger than in natural infection.