Cryptosporidiosis facilitated by murine retroviral infection with LP-BM5.
LP-BM5 murine leukemia virus infection caused alterations in splenic T cell subsets in adult C57BL/6 female mice. Prolonged infection resulted in increased immunosuppression and a concomitant decreased resistance to Cryptosporidium parvum infection. Significant Cryptosporidium colonization of the intestinal villi was seen 10 days after oral challenge in mice infected with murine retrovirus for 3 months but not in non-virally infected controls. Parasite numbers per villus of retrovirally infected mice were 20-fold higher than in controls, which showed only occasional parasites. Feces from most virally infected mice but none from controls contained oocysts. Cryptosporidium infection in mice after 4 and 5 months of retroviral infection was accompanied by severe immunosuppression and parasite levels 50-5000 times higher than in controls. A high level of infection persisted 21 days after Cryptosporidium challenge in virally infected mice, while controls cleared their transient and marginal infection. These results further characterize LP-BM5 infection as a murine model of retrovirally induced acquired immune deficiency.
Darban
H
H
Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson 85724.
Enriquez
J
J
Sterling
C R
CR
Lopez
M C
MC
Chen
G
G
Abbaszadegan
M
M
Watson
R R
RR
D000818:Animals; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D003458:Cryptosporidium / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D009052:Leukemia Virus, Murine / Q000502:physiology*; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D016183:Murine Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D009929:Organ Size