title: The route of immunization of gerbils with live Besnoitia besnoiti as a factor in protection against lethal challenge.
abstract: Gerbils (Meriones tristrami) were infected subcutaneously or intraperitoneally with live culture-grown Besnoitia besnoiti at doses ranging from 10(1) to 10(7) endozoites. All animals injected subcutaneously survived the infection and were refractory to a lethal challenge dose of 10(7) endozoites given intraperitoneally 6 weeks later. By contrast, gerbils surviving primary intraperitoneal inoculation with 10(2) to 10(6) endozoites showed a variable survival rate to challenge. All gerbils developed antibodies to B. besnoiti regardless of the route of inoculation, except for those given 10(1) endozoites intraperitoneally. There was no statistical difference between the immunofluorescent antibody titres developed in groups vaccinated subcutaneously or intraperitoneally (P = 0.556).
authors.affiliation: Division of Parasitology, Kimron Veterinary Institute, Bet Dagan, Israel.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Shkap
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pipano
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D021741:Eimeriida / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D005849:Gerbillinae; D007114:Immunization / Q000662:veterinary*; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal / Q000662:veterinary; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous / Q000662:veterinary; D014709:Vero Cells
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan