Necator americanus: maintenance through one hundred generations in golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus). I. Host sex-associated differences in hookworm burden and fecundity.
The human hookworm Necator americanus was maintained through one hundred generations in the golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus). The parasite strain employed here was ultimately adapted to hamsters without the requirement for exogenous steroids or other immunosuppressive agents. Moreover, there was no requirement to use neonatal hamsters--successful infections were obtained in 9- to 10-week-old hamsters infected subcutaneously with 250 hookworm larvae. This unique adaptation of N. americanus to hamsters permits its use for purposes of anthelminthic drug and vaccine development.
Jian
Xue
X
Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 207 Rui Jin Er Lu, Shanghai 200025, PR China.
Sen
Liu
L
Hui-Qin
Qiang
Q
Hai-Nan
Ren
R
Tie-Hua
Li
L
Hai-Chou
Xue
X
Hotez
Peter J
PJ
Shu-Hua
Xiao
X
D000818:Animals; D006224:Cricetinae; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D008297:Male; D008647:Mesocricetus / Q000469:parasitology*; D017221:Necator americanus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D009332:Necatoriasis / Q000469:parasitology*; D010270:Parasite Egg Count; D012737:Sex Factors