Abstract
Strongyloides spp. are common parasites of vertebrates and two species, S. ratti and S. venezuelensis, parasitize rats; there are no known species that naturally infect mice. Strongyloides ratti and S. venezuelensis overlap in their geographical range and in these regions co-infections appear to be common. These species have been widely used as tractable laboratory systems in rats as well as mice. The core biology of these two species is similar, but there are clear differences in aspects of their within-host biology as well as in their free-living generation. Phylogenetic evidence suggests that S. ratti and S. venezuelensis are the result of two independent evolutionary transitions to parasitism of rats, which therefore presents an ideal opportunity to begin to investigate the basis of host specificity in Strongyloides spp.
Highlights
The genus Strongyloides contains some 60 species that infect a wide range of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians
Strongyloides ratti and S. venezuelensis naturally co-infect hosts (Little, 1966; Wertheim, 1970a; Hasegawa et al 1988); for example, in wild rats in Israel co-infection was common with an overall Strongyloides prevalence of 36%, but among the infected rats 45% of infections were S. ratti and S. venezuelensis co-infections (Wertheim and Lengy, 1964)
Because parasitic females reproduce by mitotic parthenogenesis, isofemale lines can be made
Summary
Strongyloides spp. are common parasites of vertebrates and two species, S. ratti and S. venezuelensis, parasitize rats; there are no known species that naturally infect mice. Strongyloides ratti and S. venezuelensis overlap in their geographical range and in these regions co-infections appear to be common. These species have been widely used as tractable laboratory systems in rats as well as mice. The core biology of these two species is similar, but there are clear differences in aspects of their within-host biology as well as in their free-living generation. Phylogenetic evidence suggests that S. ratti and S. venezuelensis are the result of two independent evolutionary transitions to parasitism of rats, which presents an ideal opportunity to begin to investigate the basis of host specificity in Strongyloides spp
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