The severe combined immunodeficient mouse as a definitive host for Sarcocystis muris

Citation
B. Koudela et al., The severe combined immunodeficient mouse as a definitive host for Sarcocystis muris, PARASIT RES, 85(8-9), 1999, pp. 737-742
Citations number
13
Categorie Soggetti
Microbiology
Journal title
PARASITOLOGY RESEARCH
ISSN journal
09320113 → ACNP
Volume
85
Issue
8-9
Year of publication
1999
Pages
737 - 742
Database
ISI
SICI code
0932-0113(199908)85:8-9<737:TSCIMA>2.0.ZU;2-3
Abstract
Peroral and intraperitoneal inoculation of severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice with cystozoites of three coccidia of the genus Sarcocystis (Pr otozoa, Apicomplexa; S. dispersa, Sarcocystis sp., and S. muris) revealed t hat after peroral administration, only S. muris could develop in the immuno deficient mouse host. The cystozoites of S. muris transformed into gamonts and, after fertilization, performed sporulation with the production of infe ctious sporocysts in the small intestine of the SCID mice. Impaired immunit y is probably responsible for the unusual behavior of S. muris (which is no rmally the heteroxenous mouse-cat parasite) in the SCID mice. We hypothesiz e that the phylogenetic distance between the intermediate and final hosts i s the reason why cystozoites of the two other Sarcocystis species tested (S . dispersa with a mouse-owl cycle and Sarcocystis sp. with a murine rodent- snake cycle) could not develop when inoculated into SCID mice.