EFFECT OF A HIGH-PROTEIN DIET ON WORM RECOVERY, GROWTH AND DISTRIBUTION OF ECHINOSTOMA-CAPRONI IN ICR MICE

The effects of a high protein diet on the host-parasite relationship o f Echinostoma caproni in ICR mice were studied. The customized high pr otein diet (CHPD) contained 64% casein as a source of protein. The con trol diet consisted of a standard laboratory diet containing 23% casei n as a source of protein. Mice were each fed 25 cysts of E. caproni by stomach tube and necropsied 2, 3, 4 and 5 weeks postinfection. The we ight of mice on the CHPD did not differ significantly from mice on the control diet. Worm recoveries were also unaffected by the high protei n diet. There was a significant decline in worm dry weight, body area and uterine egg counts in worms from mice on the CHPD compared with th ose on the control diet. Worms from hosts on the CHPD were located mor e posteriad in the gut than those recovered from mice on the control d iet. Changes in the mouse diet adversely affected E. caproni maturatio n and growth, possibly by altering the immediate host mucosal environm ent and making it less conducive to worm development.