title: Hyperinfective strongyloidiasis: Strongyloides stercoralis undergoes an autoinfective burst in neonatal gerbils.
abstract: One of the unusual aspect of the life cycle of Strongyloides stercoralis is the occurrence of autoinfective third-stage larvae (L3a). These are the causative agents of severe hyperinfective strongyloidiasis. When 6-wk-old gerbils are infected with 1,000 infective third-stage larvae (L3i), no L3a are seen during the course of the infection. However, in neonatal gerbils (1-13 days of age) infected with 1,000 L3i, a burst of autoinfection takes place between 15 and 30 days postinfection (PI). Only occasional L3a can be found in neonatally infected gerbils after 4 wk PI. This autoinfective burst is not seen in neonatal gerbils infected with 200 L3i.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathobiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Philadelphia 19104-6050, USA.
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Nolan
authors.forename: V M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Bhopale
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Schad
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000469:parasitology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005849:Gerbillinae / Q000469:parasitology*; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000469:parasitology*; D007814:Larva / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D017171:Strongyloides stercoralis / Q000502:physiology*; D013322:Strongyloidiasis / Q000469:parasitology*