Immunity to Trichinella spiralis III. The longevity of the intestinal phase of the infection in mice

Abstract

It was found that with high level infections of Trichinella spiralis self-cure in immune mice occurs only slightly earlier than in normal mice. With low level infections self-cure is much earlier. In the host parasite combination studied the majority of the adult worms were found in the posterior part of the small intestine and no migration along the intestine was found. It is postulated that as migration is of such a variable occurrence it is not a necessary accompaniment to self-cure in T. spiralis infections. Where an early self-cure occurs it is obviously an important component of the immunity complex but other components such as reduced fecundity are equally important in limiting larval invasion of the muscles of immune mice.