Lagochilascaris minor: experimental infection of C57BL/6 and BALB/c isogenic mice reveals the presence of adult worms.
The nematode Lagochilascaris minor is the causative agent of lagochilascariosis, a human disease that affects the neck region causing exudative abscesses with eggs, larvae, and adult parasites. Mice are currently considered intermediate hosts for the parasite. To determine the pattern of infection and the possibility of mice as definitive hosts for L. minor, experimental lagochilascariosis was studied in two distinct isogenic mouse strains: BALB/c and C57BL/6. Our results indicate that BALB/c mice are more resistant to L. minor infection than C57BL/6, having less intense lesions in the lungs, a lower number of nodules with encysted larvae and fewer adult worms, and displaying a higher serum level of IFN gamma. Both mouse strains had low levels of serum IL-10. We also observed adult parasites in both mouse strains, raising the possibility that mice are definitive hosts of L. minor. This is the first description of adult parasite development of L. minor in mice.
de Freitas
Jaqueline Gleice
JG
Department of Microbiology, Immunology, Parasitology and Pathology (DMIPP), Institute of Tropical Pathology and Public Health (IPTSP), Federal University of Goiás (UFG), Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil.
Prudente
Mariana Félix de Souza
MF
Spadafora-Ferreira
Mônica
M
Junqueira-Kipnis
Ana Paula
AP
de Paula
Elbio Cândido
EC
Tambourgi
Denise Vilarinho
DV
Lino-Júnior
Ruy de Souza
Rde S
Carvalhaes
Mara Silvia
MS
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D017191:Ascaridida Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology; D001199:Ascaridoidea / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002415:Cats; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D008168:Lung / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D013154:Spleen / Q000473:pathology; D015996:Survival Rate
D016207:Cytokines