title: Genetic dependent transmission of Eimeria separata from Rattus to three strains of Mus musculus, an abnormal host.
abstract: We examined susceptibility of several strains of mice to Eimeria separata. Mice of the following coat-color genotypes were inoculated with 2 X 10(4) sporulated oocysts of E. separata isolated from Rattus norvegicus: random-bred (aabbCC and A-bbCC), Balb/C (AAbbcc), Balb/Gw (AABBcc), Z/Gw (aaBBcc), and Swiss NLW (cc). Allele designations are A = agouti, a = nonagouti, B = black, b = brown, C, c = albino. Eimeria separata completed its life cycle with oocyst production in all male and female random-bred (aabbCC), Balb/Gw and G/Gw mice. The reproductive index of E. separata in Balb/Gw mice was significantly lower (P less than or equal to 0.05) than that of the other mouse strains. Among the random-bred mice, E. separata had a significantly lower (P less than or equal to 0.05) mean reproductive index in male than in female hosts. Patent period and oocyst length/width indices remained constant irrespective of host genus. This is the first documentation that genetic factors play a role in susceptibility of mice to the rat coccidium, E. separata.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000635:transmission*; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D004539:Eimeria / Q000254:growth & development*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice / Q000235:genetics* / Q000469:parasitology; D051381:Rats / Q000235:genetics* / Q000469:parasitology; D013045:Species Specificity