Stocking Density Associated with Parasitic Infection by Gastrointestinal Examination in Laboratory Mice

In affluent societies the prevalences of so-called ‘Western’ diseases such as atherosclerosis, allergies and autoimmune disorders appear to have increased, while many diseases caused by communicable infections are now relatively less common. To test whether there may be a causal relationship we examined the effects of Schistosoma mansoni infections in mice that develop cardiovascular pathology as a result of a genetic deficiency in apolipoprotein E (apoE−/−). The development of atherosclerotic lesions in the aortic arch and brachiocephalic artery of the apoE−/− mice was reduced by approximately 50% in mice with the parasitic infection, when comparison was made with uninfected control mice fed the same diet. Observations on S. mansoni-infected conventional laboratory mice indicate that patent schistosome infections could be counteracting the effects of an atherogenic diet by modulating host lipid metabolism and inducing a reduction in blood total cholesterol concentrations.

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Preference for microhabitat by Monogenea on the gills of the south american catfish Rhamdia quelen at different stocking densities under laboratory conditions

Helminthologia ◽

10.1515/helmin-2015-0067 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 53 (1) ◽

pp. 55-61 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

J. A. Debortoli ◽

A. C. F. Lacerda ◽

T. R. Lisboa ◽

M. L. Martins

Keyword(s):

Parasitic Infection ◽

Stocking Density ◽

Abundant Species ◽

South American ◽

Dorsal Region ◽

The South ◽

Microhabitat Preference ◽

Laboratory Conditions ◽

Rhamdia Quelen

SummaryThis study aimed to verify preferences for microhabitat by the monogeneans on the gills of the south american catfish, Rhamdia quelen (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824), at different stocking densities under controlled laboratory conditions. Three stocking densities were used: 14, 28 and 42 fish per tank (50 L) and the fish were sampled initially, at day 5 and 10 of the experiment. Aphanoblastella mastigatus (Suriano, 1986) was noted as the most abundant species at all stocking densities, except for the initial collection day. The gill arches I and II were the most parasitized, showing the highest mean abundance in the dorsal region, at the highest density. The pattern of microhabitat preference of A. mastigatus for outer regions of the gills of the host was independent of the stocking density and collection day. Higher prevalence and abundance of Scleroductus sp. at the initial collection reflected the parasitic infection of the fish at the farm from where the fish were taken. The abundance of Scleroductus sp. decreased along the experiment, and no preference for gill arches was recorded for the species, probably due to the low abundance of this parasite on the gills.

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Morphological, molecular and pathological appraisal of Hymenolepis nana (Hymenolepididae) infecting laboratory mice Mus musculus

10.21203/rs.2.14737/v1 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Ebtsam Al-Olayan ◽

Rewaida Abdel-Gaber ◽

Abeer Aloufi ◽

Zainab Alanazi

Keyword(s):

Infection Rate ◽

Parasitic Infection ◽

Present Species ◽

Cox1 Gene ◽

Laboratory Mice ◽

Hymenolepis Nana ◽

Electron Microscopic ◽

Gene Sequence Analysis ◽

Microscopic Studies ◽

Direct Life Cycle

Abstract Background: Hymenolepis nana , commonly found parasite in mice colonies maintained under conventional conditions, has zoonotic potential and is characterised by autoinfection and direct life cycle. Results: This study intended to determine parasitic infection rate in laboratory mice. Of the 50 mice, 40.0% were found to be infected with hymenolepidid cestode. Infection rate was higher in males (52.0%) than in females (28.0%). Light and scanning electron microscopic studies of cestode parasite revealed that the worms were medium-sized; had globular scolex with four suckers, a retractable rostellum equipped with 20-30 hooks, and a short unsegmented neck; remaining strobila consisted of immature, mature, and gravid proglottids; irregularly alternating genital pores; lobulated ovary; post-ovarian vitelline gland; and uterus containing ˃200 small eggs in gravid proglottids. Molecular characterisation based on mitochondrial COX1 gene sequence analysis used to confirm taxonomy of the parasite. The parasite showed identity ˃80.0% with other species available in GenBank. High blast scores and low divergence were noted between isolated parasite and previously described H. nana (gb| AP017666.1). Phylogenetic analysis using COX1 sequence place this hymenolepidid species within Cyclophyllidea. Conclusions: The present species was found to be deeply embedded in the genus Hymenolepis with close relationships to other H. nana as a putative sister taxon.

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