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Milk-borne infection of rats with Strongyloides ratti and Nippostrongylus brasiliensis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

Peter A. G. Wilson
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University of Edinburgh, Scotland
Maureen Gentle
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University of Edinburgh, Scotland
Douglas S. Scott
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University of Edinburgh, Scotland

Summary

The numbers of mature worms which developed in young rats after their mothers were injected with 4000 L3 late in lactation were 1% (Nippostrongylus brasiliensis) and 24% (Strongyloides ratti) of the dose administered. The low value for N. brasiliensis validates the conclusion that milk is a real and important vehicle for infection in S. ratti since possible errors from skin invasion of the young would have been common to both species.

The level of mature S. ratti infection in lactating mothers in this experiment was negligible, 97–99% of the adult worms appearing in the offspring.

These results may indicate that the milk route is possible with N. brasiliensis even though it is quantitatively insignificant.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1976

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