Behavioral changes in Rattus norvegicus experimentally infected by Toxocara canis larvae.
Toxocara canis is a common canine nematode parasite and one of its possible transmission mechanisms is the predation of infected rodents by canids. Fifty Rattus norvegicus were used to study behavioral alterations in rodents infected by T. canis larvae. The rats were divided into three groups: G1, 20 rats infected with 300 T. canis eggs; G2, 20 rats infected with 2,000 T. canis eggs; and G3, 10 non-infected rats. Thirty and 60 days post-infection, rats from all the groups were submitted to an open-field apparatus for five min and subsequently, to an elevated plus-maze apparatus, again for five min. The data obtained indicated improvement in mobility (total locomotion time and rearing frequency) and exploratory behavior in infected rats, principally in G2, which provides some support for the hypothesis that behavioral alterations in rodents infected by Toxocara canis larvae enhance the transmission rate of this ascarid to dogs.
Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Santa Casa de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil. pchieffi@usp.br
Pedro P
PP
Chieffi
Renata T R
RT
Aquino
Maria A
MA
Pasqualotti
Manoel Carlos S A
MC
Ribeiro
Antonia G
AG
Nasello
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013997:Time Factors; D017166:Toxocara canis; D014120:Toxocariasis / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000635:transmission