Fig. 1

Immunoprotection in mice immunised with the synthetic peptides. a Kaplan-Meier curves depicting survival rates in mice immunised with any combination of peptides containing B- and T-cell epitopes as vaccine candidates which had also been orally infected with F. hepatica metacercariae. The survival rates of mice from both untreated and infected controls are also represented. The humane endpoint was established when an indicator of severe pain, excessive distress, suffering or an impending death was observed in any animal which was then euthanised with an intraperitoneal injection of pentobarbital at 100 mg/kg using 30 g needles. b Representative macroscopic lesion in infected mice (group 1, upper part) compared to mice immunised with a combination of peptides containing T-cell epitopes (T14 + T15 + T16; group 6, lower part)