Bacteria-induced hatching of Trichuris muris eggs occurs without direct contact between eggs and bacteria

Using three isolates of the murine parasitic nematode Trichuris muris, E, E/J (the E isolate maintained in Japan), and S, I have previously demonstrated that when the embryonated eggs of the E/J and E isolates are incubated with the intestinal bacteria Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, they are induced to hatch in vitro. However, the eggs of the S isolate are unresponsive to these bacteria. In the present study, I investigated whether direct contact between the embryonated eggs of the E/J and E isolates and bacteria is required to induce their hatching. To do so, a new co-culture system for eggs and bacteria (E. coli or S. aureus) was developed to block any direct contact between the eggs and the bacteria. In the hatching experiment using the new system, when direct contact between the eggs and bacteria was completely prevented, the eggs still hatched. However, the peak levels of hatching without direct contact were about 20 % lower than those with direct contact, and peak hatching occurred later without direct contact. This evidence suggests that hatching occurs without direct contact between the eggs and bacteria, and that unidentified material derived from active bacteria induces the hatching of embryonated eggs of the E/J and E isolates of T. muris in vitro.