Massive experimental infection with Strongyloides venezuelensis in rats and absence of sudden death

Ten rats were divided into five groups, A - E, to determine the larval dose-effect of infection with Strongyloides venezuelensis (SVZ). The rat groups were exposed to SVZ infective larvae as follow: (A) 100, (B) 1,000, (C) 10,000, (D) 100,000 and (E) 1,000,000. The eight rats in Groups A - D survived the infection. Rats exposed to the higher doses of larvae had the higher egg per gram counts (EPG), but more rapid reduction in EPG counts. The four rats in Groups C and D had EPG counts greater than 10,000 EPG during days 7 - 21 after infection. Maximum EPG values in Group C were 85,400 and 106,600; those in Group D were 134,000 and 346,000. The two rats in Group E showed severe itching and bleeding on their digital pads at the time of infection. They became listless thereafter and died with hemorrhagic pneumonia at 4 days after infection. The sudden death that has been demonstrated in calves infected with massive doses of S. papillosus was not observed in SVZ-infected rats.