Impairment of metabolic capability in feral house mice by Klossiella muris invection.
Kidney infection by Klossiella muris in highland house mice from Peru was associated with lowered metabolic capability (57%) and endurance time (25%) at maximum metabolic rate. Administration of coccidiostatic preparations improved the metabolic capability from 7.8 to 10.5 cc 0-2 g hr and the endurance from 2.8 to longer than 10 min. Their colony-reared offspring, which were free from parasites, sustained maximum metabolic rates of 13.8 cc 0-2/g hr also for longer than 10 min. This rate was slightly higher than the values found in both healthy lowland controls: feral house mice from Arkansas and laboratory white mice [lab: HA(ICR)]. Although clinically inapparent under oridinary conditions, the effects of K muris infection were easily demonstrated at high metabolic loads stimulated by cold. Thus emphasizing the importance of such performance tests in assessing the status of experimental subjects.
D000818:Animals; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000662:veterinary*; D003080:Cold Temperature; D051379:Mice / Q000378:metabolism*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*