title: Echinococcus granulosus: development of an intermediate host mouse model for use in vaccination studies.
abstract: A mouse model has been developed to evaluate potential protective antigens which could render intermediate hosts resistant to a challenge infection with Echinococcus granulosus eggs. DBA/2J, CBA/J, Balb/cJ, C57/B16J and CF-1 mice were initially infected orally and parenterally with eggs, hatched eggs or activated oncospheres. Generally less than 1% of the oral dose established as cysts. Mean cysts counts were increased when Balb/cJ mice were injected intraperitoneally or intravenously with activated oncospheres. A challenge regime using 600 activated oncospheres injected intraperitoneally into adult Balb/cJ mice was subsequently adopted yielding means of 15-51 cysts per mouse. When activated oncospheres were injected intraperitoneally into Balb/cJ, DBA/2J and CF-1 mice, cysts were restricted to the peritoneal cavity. Activated oncospheres injected intravenously, however, lodged almost exclusively in the lung and thoracic cavity, except in DBA/2J mice where 55% lodged in the liver. This anatomical localization enabled the outcome of prior infection and challenge to be monitored separately. Prior infection rendered Balb/cJ mice fully resistant to subsequent challenge.
authors.affiliation: Pitman-Moore New Zealand Limited, Upper Hutt.
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Dempster
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Berridge
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Heath
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D004443:Echinococcosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D004446:Echinococcus / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D014611:Vaccination