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PubMedDate not supplied

Modulation of parasitemia and antibody response to Trypanosoma cruzi by cyclophosphamide in Calomys callosus (Rodentia, Cricetidae).

Calomys callosus a wild rodent, previously described as harboring Trypanosoma cruzi, has a low susceptibility to infection by this protozoan. Experiments were designed to evaluate the contribution of the immune response to the resistance to T. cruzi infection exhibited by C. calossus. Animals were submitted to injections of high (200 mg/kg body weight) and low (20 mg/kg body weight) doses of cyclophosphamide on days -1 or -1 and +5, and inoculated with 4 x 10(3) T. cruzi on day O. Parasitemia, mortality and antibody response as measured by direct agglutination of trypomastigotes were observed. Two hundred mg doses of cyclophosphamide resulted in higher parasitemia and mortality as well as in suppression of the antibody response. A single dose of 20 mg enhanced antibody levels on the 20th day after infection, while an additional dose did not further increase antibody production. Parasitemia levels were not depressed, but rather increased in both these groups as compared to untreated controls. Passive transfer of hyperimmune C. callosus anti-T. cruzi serum to cyclophosphamide immunosuppressed animals resulted in lower parasitemia and mortality rates. These results indicate that the immune response plays an important role in the resistance of C. callossus to T. cruzi.

Agglutination Tests↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Evaluation of the resistance to Schistosoma mansoni infection in Nectomys squamipes (Rodentia: Cricetidae), a natural host of infection in Brazil.

The development of resistance in three stages throughout an active infection (pre-ovular, acute and initial chronic stages) was studied, comparing the total number of adult worms recovered from the reinfected group and the control groups. It was shown that Nectomys squamipes was unable to develop resistance in the tested conditions and, on the other hand, reinfection in the pre-ovular period of the parasite led the rodent to present the phenomenonacilitation, with reduction of natural resistance and an increase in the parasite load. These results suggest the existence of other forms of immunity diverse from the concomitant immunity in the host-parasite relationship, according to the employed model.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Nectomys squamipes (Rodentia: Cricetidae) as an experimental model for Schistosomiasis mansoni.

Twenty specimens of Nectomys squamipes born in captivity, were infected with 500 cercariae by the transcutaneous route. Coprologic examinations were carried out from the 5th to 23rd week after infection. On the 7th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 23rd weeks the animals were sacrificed and perfused. The oogram was performed in segments of the small intestine (proximal, medial and distal portions) and the large intestine. The average pre-patent period was of 42 days. The average number of eggs varied from 350 on the 6th week, to 800 on the 13th. From the 14th week on, the average number of eggs eliminated was lower than 50 per gram of feces. The recovery of worms kept steady on the 7th, 8th and 12th week (16.85%; 15.45% and 11.95%), decreasing to 7.70% on the 16th week and 8.45% on the 23rd week. The proportion of male/female worms was about the same on the first two weeks, but from the 12th week on, the proportion was: 1.4/1 on the 12th week; 2.5/1 on the 16th week and 1.8/1 on the 23rd week. These observations suggest that N. squamipes may be used as an experimental model for schistosomiasis mansoni, to which it develops resistance mechanism, useful for immunity studies.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Holochilus brasiliensis and Nectomys squamipes (Rodentia-Cricetidae) natural hosts of Schistosoma mansoni.

After several Brazilian researchers, the author examines the capacity of two species of rodents Cricetidae, Holochilus brasiliensis and Nectomys squamipes, to maintain the biological cycle of Schistosoma mansoni in the field and to be parasite reservoir: (a) the role they are able to play in human endemy; (b) the methods necessary to characterize the population of Schistosoma mansoni related either to man, either to rodents, either to both.

Africa↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Acquired and congenital ocular toxoplasmosis experimentally induced in Calomys callosus (Rodentia, Cricetidae).

An experimental model for acquired and congenital ocular toxoplasmosis as well as a model to induce experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) was investigated in Calomys callosus. Toxoplasma gondii, ME-49 strain, was used to infect males and pregnant- and not pregnant-females while S-antigen, a major glycoprotein of the retinal photoreceptor cell, was used to induce EAU. The ocular lesions elicited by T. gondii were characterized by the presence of cysts, free tachyzoites and inflammatory cells in the retina or related tissues. In the congenital form, 40% of the fetus presented ocular lesions, i.e., presence of cysts in the retina, vitreous, and extra-retinal tissues. In the acquired form, 75% of the females and 50% of the males presented unilateral ocular cysts both at 21 and 47 days post-infection. It was also demonstrated that S-antigen was not uveitogenic in the C. callosus model. No lesion was observed in the animals exclusively immunized with this retinal component, even when jacalin was used as additional adjuvant for polyclonal response to the retinal antigen. It can be concluded that C. callosus may constitute in a promising model for study both acquired and congenital ocular toxoplasmosis, particularly when it is important to make sure that a non autoimmune process is involved in the genesis of the ocular infection.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Changes on Schistosoma mansoni (Digenea: Schistosomatidae) worm load in Nectomys squamipes (Rodentia: Sigmodontinae) concurrently infected with Echinostoma paraensei (Digenea: Echinostomatidae).

The water rat, Nectomys squamipes, closely involved in schistosomiasis transmission in Brazil, has been found naturally infected simultaneously by Schistosoma mansoni and Echinostoma paraensei. Laboratory experiments were conducted to verify parasitic interaction in concurrent infection. It was replicated four times with a total of 42 water rats and essayed two times with 90 mice pre-infected with E. paraensei. Rodents were divided into three groups in each replication. A wild strain recently isolated from Sumidouro, RJ, and a laboratory strain of S. mansoni from Belo Horizonte (BH) was used. Rats infected with E. paraensei were challenged 4 weeks later with S. mansoni and mice 2 or 6 weeks after the infection with S. mansoni. Necropsy took place 8 weeks following S. mansoni infection. The N. squamipes treatment groups challenged with S. mansoni RJ strain showed a significant decrease (80 and 65%) in the S. mansoni parasite load when compared with their respective control groups. There was a significant change or no change in the hosts challenged with the BH strain. The persistence time of E. paraensei within host was extended in relation to control groups, with a consequent enhancement of the number of recovered worm. An E. paraensei strain-specific influence on S. mansoni parasitism is reported. This paper presents some experimental data about this interaction in N. squamipes and Mus musculus.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Experimental evidence and ecological perspectives for the adaptation of Schistosoma mansoni Sambon, 1907 (Digenea: Schistosomatidae) to a wild host, the water-rat, Nectomys squamipes Brants, 1827 (Rodentia: Sigmodontinae).

Due to the semi aquatic habits and the overlap of the geographical distribution of the water-rat, Nectomys spp., with schistosomiasis endemic areas, these wild rodents are very likely to acquire Schistosoma mansoni infection in their daily activities. The role of the water-rat in the S. mansoni cycle would be substantiated if one could prove that these rodents acquire the parasite during their own activity time, a completely independent time schedule of human activities. To pursue this goal, we performed two field experiments in the municipality of Sumidouro, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, a schistosomiasis endemic area where N. squamipes is found naturally infected. One experiment was devised as a series of observations of activity time of the water-rat. The other experiment was a test of the occurrence of late transmission of S. mansoni to the water-rat. The daily activity pattern showed that the water-rat is active chiefly just after sunset. At both diurnal and late exposition essays the water-rat sentinels got infected by S. mansoni. These findings clarify ecological and behavioral components necessary to the adaptation of S. mansoni to the water-rat as a non human definitive host and the existence of a transmission cycle involving this animals as a reservoir.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Intestinal fibrovascular nodules caused by Schistosoma mansoni infection in Calomys callosus Rengger, 1830 (Rodentia: Cricetidae): a model of concomitant fibrosis and angiogenesis.

Human schistosomiasis develops extensive and dense fibrosis in portal space, together with congested new blood vessels. This study demonstrates that Calomys callosus infected with Schistosoma mansoni also develops fibrovascular lesions, which are found in intestinal subserosa. Animals were percutaneously infected with 70 cercariae and necropsied at 42, 45, 55, 80, 90 and 160 days after infection. Intestinal sections were stained for brightfield, polarization microscopy, confocal laser scanning, transmission and scanning electron microscopies. Immunohistological analysis was also performed and some nodules were aseptically collected for cell culture. Numerous intestinal nodules, appearing from 55 up to 160 days after infection, were localized at the interface between external muscular layer and intestinal serosa, consisting of fibrovascular tissue forming a shell about central granuloma(s). Intranodular new vessels were derived from the vasculature of the external vascular layer and were positive for laminin, chondroitin-sulfate, smooth muscle alpha-actin and FVIII-RA. Fibroblastic cells and extracellular matrix components (collagens I, III and VI, fibronectin and tenascin) comprised the stroma. Intermixed with the fibroblasts and vessels there were variable number of eosinophils, macrophages and haemorrhagic foci. In conclusion, the nodules constitute an excellent and accessible model to study fibrogenesis and angiogenesis, dependent on S. mansoni eggs. The fibrogenic activity is fibroblastic and not myofibroblastic-dependent. The angiogenesis is so prominent that causes haemorrhagic ascites.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Effects of pyriproxyfen spray, powder, and oral bait treatments on the relative abundance of nontarget arthropods of black-tailed prairie dog (Rodentia: Sciuridae) towns.

Separate black-tailed prairie dog, Cynomys ludovicianus (Ord), towns on the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, Colorado, were treated with technical pyriproxyfen (Nylar) spray, powder, and oral bait. The treatments were applied to reduce relative abundance of the plague vector Oropsylla hirsuta (Baker). Because pyriproxyfen is a juvenile hormone analog, we were also concerned with the effects of the treatments on nontarget arthropods, which is the focus of this study. Pitfall traps and sweep net sampling were used to measure relative abundance of arthropod populations pre- and posttreatment. Nontarget arthropod sampling produced a large number of statistical comparisons that indicated significant declines (P < 0.05) in relative arthropod abundance. Many of the significant declines were probably because of natural fluctuations in arthropod populations rather than treatment effects. Because arthropod populations appeared to fluctuate randomly, we only made inferences about highly significant (P < 0.001) declines. In doing so, we hoped to abate some of the confusion created by the natural fluctuation in arthropod abundance and increase our chance of correctly attributing a population reduction to a treatment effect. Only Homoptera at the pyriproxyfen powder site exhibited highly significant reductions that appeared to be attributed to the treatments. Pyriproxyfen spray treatments did not significantly reduce relative arthropod abundance.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Effects of pyriproxyfen spray, powder, and oral bait treatments on the relative abundance of fleas (Siphonaptera: Ceratophyllidae) in black-tailed prairie dog (Rodentia: Sciuridae) towns.

Separate black-tailed prairie dog, Cynomys ludovicianus (Ord), towns on the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, Colorado, were treated with technical pyriproxyfen (Nylar) using spray, powder, and oral bait carriers. Direct combing methods (1997 and 1998) and burrow flagging (1998) were used to estimate relative abundance of the plague vector Oropsylla hirsuta (Baker). Pyriproxyfen spray (0.05%) and powder (0.05%) did not significantly reduce (P > 0.05) O. hirsuta abundance. Pyriproxyfen bait, when applied every 4 wk at a concentration of 286 mg/50 g bait, significantly reduced (P < or = 0.05) O. hirsuta infesting prairie dogs, 4 mo after initial treatment. However, flea populations had recovered to pretreatment levels by the following summer (July 1999).

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Laboratory techniques for rearing the fleas (Siphonaptera: Ceratophyllidae and Pulicidae) of California ground squirrels (Rodentia: Sciuridae) using a novel nest box.

Three species of fleas, Oropsylla montana (Baker), Hoplopsyllus anomalus (Baker), and Echidnophaga gallinacea (Westwood), occur seasonally on the California ground squirrel, Spermophilus beecheyi (Richardson). Few studies have focused on the biology and ecology of these fleas despite their importance in the epidemiology of sylvatic plague. To best duplicate a natural parasite-host relationship in the laboratory, a novel nest box was developed that facilitated housing wild-caught S. beecheyi, was conducive to rearing fleas, and met modern standards for laboratory animal hygiene. This flexible system allowed adult fleas with different feeding strategies to be colonized successfully while providing sufficient flea eggs for both colony maintenance and biological research. The techniques described could be adapted to work with other species of rodents and their fleas.

Animals↗