Alteration in brain metabolites of jirds infected with alveolar Echinococcus

The Meriones unguiculatus-Echinococcus multilocularis host-parasite system was used to evaluate changes in metabolite levels in the brain of the infected host. Nuclear magnetic resonance analysis of perchloric acid extracts of the entire brain of jirds revealed that infection caused a change in the concentration of several metabolites, especially those that serve as amino acidergic neurotransmitters in this organ. The concentrations of the neuroexcitatory compounds glutamate and aspartate and the neuroinhibitory compounds glycine and taurine were significantly reduced. Those of 2 other amino acids, glutamine and alanine, were also decreased. In addition, concentrations of glycerophosphocholine and phosphocholine were also lower, whereas those of phosphocreatine and N-acetylaspartate were elevated.