Related Experiment Videos
Strongyloides venezuelensis infections in mice
1Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan.
Abstract:
The course and intensity of Strongyloides venezuelensis infection as compared with S. ratti infection were investigated in BALB/c mice. The mice were found to be much more susceptible to infection with S. venezuelensis than S. ratti. The majority of worms inoculated were recovered from the lungs and subsequently from the small intestines, suggesting that their migratory route via the lungs to the small intestine was comparable to that of S. stercoralis in humans. Spontaneous expulsion of worms occurred by about 10 days after infection, which was the same as that of S. ratti. Different infectivities, as assessed by faecal egg excretion, age, sex and strain of mouse were observed in mice infected with S. venezuelensis, as well as in those infected with S. ratti. A striking immunity was acquired following a primary exposure to S. venezuelensis. Mice infected with S. venezuelensis are considered to provide as useful a model as those infected with S. ratti for the study of human strongyloidiasis.
Insights
Mice are more susceptible to Strongyloides venezuelensis than S. ratti. This infection offers a valuable model for studying human strongyloidiasis, with similar migratory patterns and acquired immunity.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Parasitology
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Strongyloides venezuelensis and Strongyloides ratti are nematodes that infect rodents.
- Understanding their infection dynamics is crucial for modeling human strongyloidiasis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the course and intensity of Strongyloides venezuelensis infection with Strongyloides ratti infection in BALB/c mice.
- To evaluate the utility of S. venezuelensis as a model for human strongyloidiasis.
Main Methods:
- BALB/c mice were infected with S. venezuelensis and S. ratti.
- Worm recovery from lungs and small intestines was assessed.
- Faecal egg excretion was used to evaluate infectivity.
- Immunity following primary infection was studied.
Main Results:
- Mice exhibited higher susceptibility to S. venezuelensis compared to S. ratti.
- Worm migration patterns in S. venezuelensis-infected mice mirrored those of S. stercoralis in humans.
- Spontaneous worm expulsion occurred around 10 days post-infection for both species.
- Significant acquired immunity was observed after primary S. venezuelensis exposure.
- Variations in infectivity were noted based on mouse age, sex, and strain.
Conclusions:
- Mice infected with S. venezuelensis provide a valuable model for studying human strongyloidiasis.
- The migratory route and immune response in this model are comparable to human infections.