Abstract
This chapter reviews experimental infection with Giardia muris. The trophozoites of Giardia muris inhabit the small intestine. Their favored zone is the zone 10–20 cm beyond the pylorus but it may extend up to the pylorus and down to the ileum in heavy infections. The determination of the pH-values in different parts of the small intestine on the one hand and of the intensity of infection on the other demonstrates that the parasites prefer a slightly acid environment. The excretion of the cysts in the feces showed no special rhythm and varied from day to day. It was observed that to get an indication for the infestation, it is necessary to count the cysts on 3–5 successive days. Studies on the influence of the nutrition on the infestation with Giardia muris showed that a pure protein diet leads only to a very weak infestation and excretion of cysts; high numbers of trophozoites and of excreted cysts were counted from the animals under a pure carbohydrate diet and they did not differ significantly from the animals on optimal standard food.
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