title: Experimental infection of Swiss and AKR/J mice with Centrocestus formosanus (Trematoda: Heterophyidae).
abstract: In order to better understand the biology of Centrocestus formosanus in a definitive host model, mice of Swiss and AKR/J strains were experimentally infected with 100 metacercariae of the parasite. Fourteen days post-infection, the rodents were killed and adult trematodes were recovered from the small intestine. The percentage of parasite recovery from AKR/J mice (11.4%) was significantly higher than that from Swiss mice (5.3%). Moreover, trematodes recovered from the AKR/J strain were more developed and had greater fecundity. Peculiarities concerning the mice's immune system could explain the difference in susceptibility and in worm development seen in the present study. The data obtained confirm that mice are susceptible to infection with C. formosanus and indicate that the AKR/J strain provides a more favorable environment for parasite development.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vitor Luís Tenório
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Mati
authors.forename: Hudson Alves
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.forename: Alan Lane de
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Melo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006578:Heterophyidae / Q000502:physiology*; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D051379:Mice; D008806:Mice, Inbred AKR; D010270:Parasite Egg Count; D014201:Trematode Infections / Q000469:parasitology*