Host specificity in eimerian coccidia: development of Eimeria vermiformis of the mouse, Mus musculus, in Rattus norvegicus.
The ability of Eimeria vermiformis, a coccidium which normally parasitizes the mouse, to develop in rats was investigated. The Rowett strain (Lac: RNU) rats were euthymic (rnu/+), treated or untreated with cortisone acetate, and athymic (rnu/rnu). E. vermiformis completed its development only in rnu/rnu rats, which passed small numbers of oocysts capable of sporulating and infecting C57BL/6 mice. In the rnu/+ rats, irrespective of cortisone treatment, development appeared to terminate with the completion of the asexual (schizogonic) stages since no gametocytes were recognized in the tissues and no oocysts were detected in the faeces. The findings are discussed with reference to the factors which govern host specificity.
D000818:Animals; D002453:Cell Cycle; D003348:Cortisone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D004539:Eimeria / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL / Q000469:parasitology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000502:physiology
D003348:Cortisone