VARIATION IN THE LARVAL RECOVERY OF TOXOCARA-CANIS FROM THE MURINE BRAIN - IMPLICATIONS FOR BEHAVIORAL-STUDIES

The migratory pathway of Toxocara canis larvae was determined by infec ting mice with a low, medium or high dose of embryonated T. canis eggs and determining numbers of larvae present in the brain, liver, lungs, kidneys and muscle on days 5, 14 and 26 post infection. Variation was seen in the numbers of larvae recorded in the organs of mice which ha d received the same number of eggs and were at the same stage of infec tion. This variation was particularly marked in the brain indicating t hat, for the purposes of behavioural studies, the actual numbers of la rvae found in the brain rather than the number assumed from the dose w ould have to be taken into account when analysing the behaviour of inf ected mice.