title: Intestinal parasites of conventionally maintained BALB/c mice and Mastomys coucha and the effects of a concomitant schistosome infection.
abstract: A longitudinal study was carried out to identify the spectrum of intestinal parasites present in conventionally maintained BALB/c mice and Mastomys coucha and to determine the effects of concomitant schistosome infections on their parasite status. Six parasites were observed during the course of the study, namely the nematodes Aspiculuris tetraptera and Syphacia obvelata, Entamoeba muris and the flagellates Trichomonas muris, Spironucleus muris and Chilomastix spp. Although the 2 rodents shared common facilities, the overall prevalences of S. obvelata, T. muris and S. muris were significantly higher in M. coucha than BALB/c mice. BALB/c mice with concomitant schistosome infection had increased prevalences of E. muris, T. muris and S. muris. In M. coucha, in contrast, there were no significant increases in parasite prevalences. Infection intensities of T. muris and S. muris were significantly greater in M. coucha than BALB/c mice. Concomitant schistosome infection resulted in increased intensities of T. muris infection in BALB/c mice only. The influence of immune status in determining the susceptibilities of rodents to environmentally transmitted parasites is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Diseases in a Tropical Environment of the South African Medical Research Council, Congella.
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Higgins-Opitz
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Dettman
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Dingle
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Becker
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000830:Animals, Laboratory; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C / Q000469:parasitology*; D009115:Muridae / Q000469:parasitology*; D009349:Nematode Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012555:Schistosomiasis mansoni / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013045:Species Specificity