Immunity toTrichuris murisin the laboratory mouse

Abstract

AbstractOf all the laboratory models of intestinal nematode infection,Trichuris murisin the mouse is arguably the most powerful. This is largely due to the fact that the ability to expel this parasite is strain dependent. Thus, most mouse strains readily expelT. muris. However certain mouse strains, and indeed some individuals within particular mouse strains, are unable to mount a protective immune response and harbour long term chronic infections. This unique model thus presents an opportunity to examine the immune events underlying both resistance to infection and persistent infection within the same host species, and in some cases, the same host strain.