title: Heligmosomoides polygyrus (Nematoda): the influence of dietary protein on the dynamics of repeated infection.
abstract: The influence of the protein component in the diet of the host on the population dynamics of gastrointestinal helminth infection was studied by using a mouse-H. polygyrus experimental model. Mice fed a 2% (by mass) protein diet ad libitum maintained body weight during the experiment, but gained weight steadily when fed a diet containing 8% (by mass) protein. When repeatedly infected with 5, 10, 20 or 40 larvae every 2 weeks, the mice fed the 2% (by mass) protein diet accumulated adult worms in direct proportion to exposure to the infective stages. Under similar infection régimes, mice fed an 8% (by mass) protein diet acquired a partly effective immunity to reinfection by the nematode. Acquired immunity was principally manifest as a reduction in the survival of adult worms, although a slight increase in the mortality rate and/or the development time of the tissue-dwelling larval phase was observed. Worm fecundity per head was significantly depressed in hosts fed the 8% protein diet. In conclusion, in these experiments it is demonstrated that the nutritional status of the host can influence the population dynamics of helminth infection.
mesh_terms: D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D005298:Fertility; D006369:Heligmosomatoidea / Q000254:growth & development*; D007814:Larva; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009349:Nematode Infections / Q000469:parasitology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009351:Nematospiroides dubius / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development*; D010270:Parasite Egg Count
chemical_list: D004044:Dietary Proteins