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A study on adaptation tolerance: growth of ascaridoid larvae in indigenous and non-indigenous hosts

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

J. F. A. Sprent  and
Ann McKeown
J. F. A. Sprent
Affiliation:
Department of Parasitology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Ann McKeown
Affiliation:
Department of Parasitology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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Extract

A marked difference in the rate and extent of growth of the third-stage larvae of Amplicaecum robertsi was observed in the liver of indigenous Australian rats, as compared with non-indigenous rats. This difference was not correlated with the number of larvae recovered. The suggestion is made that the greater growth in indigenous rodents might be due to the availability or accessibility of a growth factor in the former group, or a manifestation of ‘adaptation tolerance’, an immunological unresponsiveness arising from adaptation in a geographically isolated host-parasite association. Observations on incidence of natural infection supported the hypothesis in relation to Rattus assimilis but not to Melomys cervinipes.

Thanks are due to Dr C. Dobson for help with the presentation of results.

Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 57 , Issue 3 , August 1967 , pp. 549 - 554
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1967

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References

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