Susceptibility of some vertebrate hosts to infection with early third-stage larvae of Gnathostoma hispidum.

Abstract

Susceptibility of some vertebrates was examined to the early third-stage larvae (EL3) of Gnathostoma hispidum. The larvae collected from the Chinese loaches were infected to 4 silk carps, 3 snake heads, 3 bullfrogs, 5 mice and 9 albino rats. No worms were detected in fish, silk carps and snake heads. In 3 bullfrogs fed 30 larvae, a total of 9 EL3 was recovered in the gastrointestinal tract (8 larvae) and liver (one). In 5 mice infected with 50 larvae, a total of 37 (74.0%) advanced third-stage larvae (AdL3) was recovered from the muscle (31 larvae), liver (5 larvae) and kidney at 4 weeks after infection. In 9 albino rats infected with 115 larvae, a total of 40 (34.8%) AdL3 was found in the muscle. The mammalian hosts were found susceptible to the EL3 of G. hispidum from Chinese loaches.