title: Biliary tract cryptosporidiosis immunosuppressed rat model.
abstract: Rats immunosuppressed by hydrocortisone acetate and a low protein diet were challenged with Cryptosporidium Parvum oocysts and studied on days 10, 35 and 70 post-infection. The biliary tract was found to be a major site of parasite infection. C. parvum was visible in the biliary papillary area in association with a proliferation of highly convoluted tubular glands. The papillary lumen was narrowed, and an upstream dilation with bacterial proliferation was seen. The liver was initially free of lesions, and subsequently exhibited late lesions of cholestasis. Parasites were not found in the pancreatic duct, although pancreatitis was frequently observed. Oocysts were consistently present in the distal portion of the ileum. Both challenged and unchallenged immunosuppressed rats, exhibited widespread focal hepatic infarcts and pyelonephritis. Other organs appeared free of lesions. In addition to the intestine, data identified the biliary tract as a major site of C. parvum infection and as a potential protected reservoir which may sustain a chronic infection.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'Histologie, Hôpital Charles Nicolle, Center Hospitalier Universitaire, Rouen, France.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Roussel
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Favennec
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lemeteil
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tayot
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Ballet
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brasseur
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001652:Bile Ducts / Q000473:pathology; D001660:Biliary Tract Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D016785:Cryptosporidium parvum; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D007082:Ileum / Q000469:parasitology; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000469:parasitology; D011488:Protein Deficiency; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012008:Recurrence
chemical_list: C021650:hydrocortisone acetate; D006854:Hydrocortisone