Experimental transmission of Hepatozoon americanum to rodents.
Laboratory-raised cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus), outbred white mice (Mus musculus), and C57BL/6J-Lystbg-J/J mice (M. musculus) that were administered approximately 50 sporulated oocysts of Hepatozoon americanum (AF176836) by gavage developed inflammatory lesions containing parasitic cystozoites in cardiac and skeletal muscle, kidney, and lung. Sprague-Dawley rats (Rattus norvegicus) similarly exposed showed no evidence of infection. Cystozoites were first detected by histopathologic examination four weeks after exposure to oocysts. Globular, PAS-positive material accumulated around the cystozoites as the duration of infection lengthened. Nested PCR analysis of tissues collected 16 weeks post-exposure was positive for the 18S rRNA Hepatozoon sp. gene and the DNA sequence of the fragment amplified was 99.6% and 99.8% identical to H. americanum sequences previously reported from naturally-infected dogs (AF176836 and AY864676, respectively). Merogonous and gamontogonous stages of the parasite were not detected in any of the cystozoite-infected rodents.
Johnson
Eileen M
EM
Oklahoma State University, College of Veterinary Health Sciences, Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Room 250 McElroy Hall, Stillwater, OK 74078-2007, United States. eileen.johnson@okstate.edu
Allen
Kelly E
KE
Breshears
Melanie A
MA
Panciera
Roger J
RJ
Little
Susan E
SE
Ewing
Sidney A
SA
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003044:Coccidia / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000635:transmission*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D026863:Ixodidae / Q000469:parasitology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D033661:Oocysts; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D016205:Sigmodontinae; D017282:Tick-Borne Diseases / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*
D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S