title: Metabolic and histopathological profile of Rattus norvegicus (Wistar) experimentally infected by Angiostrongylus cantonensis (Chen, 1935).
abstract: Eosinophilic meningitis is a disease characterized by increased eosinophils in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which is the most commonly caused by invasion of the central nervous system by helminths, as occurs in Angiostrongylus cantonensis infections. The rodent Rattus norvegicus is the definitive natural host and humans act as accidental hosts and can become infected by eating raw or undercooked snails or food contaminated with infective L3 larvae. Recently in Brazil there have been four cases of eosinophilic meningitis due to ingestion of infected Achatina fulica. To evaluate biochemical and histopathological changes caused by this parasite, R. norvegicus were experimentally infected with 100 L3 larvae of A. cantonensis. After the anesthetic procedure, serum from the rodents was collected from the inferior vena cava for evaluation of the levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALKP), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), total protein and its fractions. During the necropsy, the liver was collected and weighed. Then a 1-g fragment was extracted from the major lobe to quantify the hepatic glycogen and fragment remainder was taken from the same lobe and fixed in Milloning's formalin for histopathological examination. Additionally, helminths were collected from the brain and lungs of the rodents. The activities of AST, ALT, ALKP and GGT in the serum and hepatic glycogen increased in response to infection, while the levels of globulin and total protein increased only in the eighth week of infection and there was a reduction in the levels of serum glucose. Albumin and bilirubin concentrations remained stable during the experiment. Infection with A. cantonensis caused metabolic and histopathological changes in the rodents. This study can contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between A. cantonensis and R. norvegicus.
authors: Curso de Pós Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Brazil; Laboratório de Biologia e Parasitologia de Mamíferos Silvestres Reservatórios, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Electronic address: juberlan@ioc.fiocruz.br.
authors: Juberlan Silva
authors: JS
authors: Garcia
authors: Laboratório de Biologia e Parasitologia de Mamíferos Silvestres Reservatórios, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Camila dos Santos
authors: Cdos S
authors: Lúcio
authors: Laboratório de Biologia e Parasitologia de Mamíferos Silvestres Reservatórios, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Tatiane Cristina dos Santos
authors: TC
authors: Bonfim
authors: Laboratório de Biologia e Parasitologia de Mamíferos Silvestres Reservatórios, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Arnaldo Maldonado
authors: AM
authors: Junior
authors: Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Biologia and Curso de Pós Graduação em Ciências Veterinárias, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, BR-465-km 7, CEP 23890-000 Seropédica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Victor Menezes
authors: VM
authors: Tunholi
authors: Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Biologia and Curso de Pós Graduação em Ciências Veterinárias, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, BR-465-km 7, CEP 23890-000 Seropédica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Vinícius Menezes
authors: VM
authors: Tunholi-Alves
authors: Laboratório de Patologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Av. Brasil 4365, CEP 21040-30 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Esther Maria
authors: EM
authors: Mota
authors: Laboratório de Biologia e Parasitologia de Mamíferos Silvestres Reservatórios, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Raquel de Oliveira
authors: Rde O
authors: Simões
authors: Laboratório de Biologia e Parasitologia de Mamíferos Silvestres Reservatórios, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: André Campos
authors: AC
authors: Santana
authors: Departamento de Controle de Qualidade Animal, Centro de Criação de Animais de Laboratório (CECAL), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Cleber
authors: C
authors: Hooper
authors: Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Biologia and Curso de Pós Graduação em Ciências Veterinárias, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, BR-465-km 7, CEP 23890-000 Seropédica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Jairo
authors: J
authors: Pinheiro
authors: Laboratório de Biologia e Parasitologia de Mamíferos Silvestres Reservatórios, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Marcio Neves
authors: MN
authors: Bóia
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D017185:Angiostrongylus cantonensis / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D001700:Biomphalaria; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D008112:Liver Glycogen / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000469:parasitology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012908:Snails; D017206:Strongylida Infections / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D013346:Subarachnoid Space / Q000469:parasitology; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins; D008112:Liver Glycogen; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D001663:Bilirubin
keywords: Angiostrongylus cantonensis; Biochemical; Eosinophilic meningitis; Rattus novergicus