Wa. Martins et al., A method of decontaminating Strongyloides venezuelensis larvae for the study of strongyloidiasis in germ-free and conventional mice, J MED MICRO, 49(4), 2000, pp. 387-390
To study the possible influence of intestinal micro-organisms on the course
of strongyloidiasis in mice, a method was developed to obtain axenic infec
tive larvae of Strongyloides venezuelensis, Cultured larvae from convention
al mice were treated with sodium hypochlorite 0.25% for 10 min, washed in d
istilled water and then exposed to various combinations of antibiotics for
30 or 60 min, Success was achieved with a combination of penicillin 180 mg/
L and ceftazidime 1 mg/ml, Decontamination of the larvae was determined by
aerobic and anaerobic culture and by inoculation into gnotobiotic mice, Via
bility was established by subcutaneous inoculation of larvae into germ-free
and conventional mice, Preliminary results showed that gnotobiotic mice we
re more susceptible than conventional mice to infection with axenic S, vene
zuelensis larvae as judged by faecal egg excretion, recovery of worms in th
e small intestine and histopathological examination of the duodenal mucosa,
These results suggest that the normal intestinal flora protects the host a
gainst experimental infection with S, venezuelensis.