SCID mice as a tool for evaluation of heteroxenous life cycle pattern of Caryospora (Apicomplexa, Eimeriidae) species

Adult severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice were inoculated with oocy sts of 13 different Caryospora (Protozoa, Apicomplexa) species isolated fro m the faeces of 10 reptilian and three raptorial bird hosts in attempt to t est heteroxenous life cycle pattern, Only three reptilian isolates originat ed from viperid snakes, namely from Calloselasma rhodostoma, Atheris nitsch ei and Vipera ursinii induced lethal dermal caryosporosis in SCID mice. Nei ther clinical signs nor developmental stages were observed in mice infected with further nine caryosporan isolates originated from other reptilian and raptorial bird hosts. Results of this study confirmed that SCID mice repre sent a useful tool for evaluation of heteroxenous life cycle pattern of car yosporan coccidia and that only the Caryospora species from viperid and cro talid snakes produce dermal caryosporosis in mice (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.