title: Standardization of the outbred BALB/c mice as a suitable animal model for Besnoitia caprae studies.
abstract: The Apicomplexan parasite Besnoitia caprae infects wild and domestic goats. Knowledge on Besnoitia caprae specially an optimized animal model is sparse. Experimental infections with tachyzoites of BC-Pars obtained from BALB/c mice were conducted in outbred mice to determine the infectivity and LD50 of Besnoitia caprae. Six groups of five mice were intraperitoneally infected with 12.5 × 10(3), 25 × 10(3), 5 × 10(4), 1 × 10(5) and 2 × 10(5) tachyzoites and a control inoculum of DMEM, respectively. Although morbidity and mortality were observed in all groups, two mice in the 12.5 × 10(3) group showed alopecia and skin lesions on 60 days post-infection (DPI). Histopathological and molecular examination of skins confirmed B. caprae infection. The LD50 was calculated as 25 × 10(3.2) tachyzoites per mouse. The results indicate that outbred BALB/c mice can be used as a suitable model of besnoitiosis and to screen candidate treatments and to test the efficacy of vaccines for besnoitiosis.
authors: Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran. namavari@yahoo.com
authors: Fatemeh
authors: F
authors: Namazi
authors: Mohamad Mehdi
authors: MM
authors: Namavari
authors: Ebrahim
authors: E
authors: Rahimi
authors: Mohsen
authors: M
authors: Lotfi
authors: Yahya
authors: Y
authors: Tahamtan
mesh_terms: D000505:Alopecia / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D015511:Goat Diseases / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology*; D006041:Goats; D007492:Iran; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D021745:Sarcocystidae / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D012867:Skin / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*