Baylisascaris potosis larvae in mice of different strains and infectivity of tissue larvae

Abstract

Summary Migration of Baylisascaris potosis larvae in different mouse strains were compared, and infectivity of the persisting larvae in mice tissues were investigated. Five strains of mice, BALB/c, C57BL/6, AKR, B10.BR, and ICR were inoculated with 1,000 B. potosis eggs/mouse, and necropsied at week 13 post inoculation (PI). The other uninfected ICR mice (secondary host) were inoculated with 43 larvae/ mouse recovered from mice at week 13 PI with eggs, and necropsied at day 21 PI. Larvae in organs or tissues were counted at necropsy. One AKR mouse showed torticollis and circling at day 56 PI. At necropsy at week 13 PI, larvae were recovered from all mice. A mean total larvae recovered were 124.1 (n=40). Majority of larvae were found in the carcass (mean 113.9) and some in the viscera (mean 9.9). Zero to 1 larva were found in the brain or eyes of some mice. There were no differences among the mouse strains in the number of larvae, except in the viscera; more larvae were seen in BALB/c or ICR than in B10.BR mice. No larvae were found in the secondary host mice. Present study demonstrated that B. potosis larvae migrate well in the carcass of any strains of mice, however, the tissue larvae did not infect the secondary host. Results of our present study suggest that B. potosis larvae is less aggressive for the nervous tissue migration than that of B. procyonis larvae which is commonly known to migrate in central nervous system of mammals and birds.