EXPERIMENTAL TRANSFER OF ADULT OESOPHAGOSTOMUM-DENTATUM FROM DONOR TOHELMINTH NAIVE RECIPIENT PIGS - A METHODOLOGICAL STUDY

This study was carried out to compare potential methods of transplanti ng adult Oesophagostomum dentatum from experimentally infected donor p igs to helminth naive recipient pigs. The following methods were each tested in five pigs: A. Transfer of worms by stomach tube to the gastr ic ventricle of pigs per os pretreated with 0.5 mg/kg cisapride to inc rease gastrointestinal peristalsis; B. Transfer by stomach tube to the gastric ventricle of pigs per os pre-treated with cisapride (0.5 mg/k g) and omeprazol 20 mg which blocks hydrochloric acid secretion; C. Su rgical transfer of worms to caecum of pigs. Worms for transplantation to pigs were obtained after slaughter of experimentally infected donor pigs and following isolation from the contents of the large intestine , using an agar gel migration technique. A mean of 1054 nematodes were transferred into each recipient pig within 2 hours. Procedures A and B resulted in establishment rates corresponding to only 0.5% and 7.6% of the transferred worms. In contrast, surgical transfer allowed 74.2% of the transplanted worms to be established. In all groups the transp lanted worms migrated to the normal predilection site, i.e. the middle part of the large intestine. More female than male worms established in all groups. It was concluded from this study that surgical transfer was the most reliable of the methods tested for experimental establis hment of adult O. dentatum in helminth naive pigs.