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Observations on coprophagy and the transmission of Hymenolepis nana infections in mice

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

A. M. Ghazal  and
R. A. Avery
A. M. Ghazal
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University of Bristol
R. A. Avery
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University of Bristol
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Summary

Young, previously uninfected white mice became infected with Hymenolepis nana when exposed in small cages to parasite eggs which had been sprinkled in suspension onto the floor of their cage, or to faeces from mice with patent infections. The mean daily probabilities of infection for individual eggs under these two conditions were 2·9 × 10−6 and 5·4 × 10−6 respectively. If the mice were starved for 24 h prior to exposure to faeces, then the mean daily probability of infection increased to 2·6 × 10−4. These differences in transmission are interpreted as being due to differences in the extent of coprophagy; they are not due to any effect of starvation on the hatchability of eggs.

Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 73 , Issue 1 , August 1976 , pp. 39 - 45
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1976

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References

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