Running responses of Trichinella spiralis-infected CD-1 mice

Male CD-1 mice inoculated by gavage with 400 larvae of Trichinella spiralis exhibited an increased latency of the wall-seeking response as well as a decline in running speed and the distance travelled to the first stop when compared with normal controls or animals inoculated with only 100 larvae. Doses of 200 larvae of this parasite affected running speed and distance travelled but not the advent of the running response. Such changes in behaviour may reduce the competitive fitness of the host and render it more susceptible to predation.