Impaired intestinal electrolyte transport in rats infested with the common parasiteSyphacia muris

Abstract

An incidentally discovered infestation with the nematode Syphacia muris of cecum and colon in spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and normotensive control (WKY) rats was investigated over a two-year period. Infestation rates in WKY were higher than in SHR, while clinical signs as well as histological changes of colonic tissues were absent in both strains. In vivo net water absorption (microliter/hr/cm2) in control worm-free SHR turned into secretion in infested rats, ie, from 74.2 +/- 23.2 to -7.5 +/- 35.0 (P less than 0.001); this corresponded with a decrease in net absorption (mumol/hr/cm2) of Na from 18.5 +/- 2.4 to 9.3 +/- 4.3 (P less than 0.001) and of Cl from 14.0 +/- 3.2 to 3.2 +/- 5.7 (P less than 0.001). In WKY, net water absorption decreased from 112.2 +/- 23.2 to 48.0 +/- 25.1 (P less than 0.001) and Na and Cl absorption from 22.3 +/- 3.1 to 16.0 +/- 4.2 (P less than 0.005) and from 19.4 +/- 2.7 to 10.9 +/- 4.7 (P less than 0.005), respectively. Antihelminthic treatment with 0.007% pyrvinium pamoate in the ration (four weeks on, six months off) eradicated Syphacia muris in both rat strains. Body weight gain of young rats on normal and pyrvinium pamoate-substituted diet studied over 18 months was similar, indicating a good tolerance of the treatment. It is concluded that results obtained during comparative intestinal transport studies between SHR and WKY may not only be impaired but also significantly distorted by Syphacia muris infestation as SHR appear to be more susceptible to effects induced by this common parasite than WKY.

Biology and Diseases of Rats

“…Numerous research effects of oxyuriasis have been described. In rats, oxyuriasis has been reported to interfere with adjuvant arthritis (Pearson and Taylor, 1975), growth rate (Wagner, 1988), and intestinal electrolyte transport (Lubcke et al, 1992).…”

Drinking water ivermectin treatment for eradication of pinworm infections from laboratory rat colonies

“…It has been suggested that infections affect weight gain, growth rate and general health (Wagner, 1988). Also pinworm infestation has been found to interfere with the occurrence of induced adjuvant arthritis (Pearson & Taylor, 1975), and with intestinal electrolyte transport (Lubcke et al, 1992). Rodents with pinworm infection are not desirable HELMINTHOLOGIA, 47, 4: 233 -237, 2010 Drinking water ivermectin treatment for eradication of pinworm infections from laboratory rat colonies (Blair et al, 1968;Taffs, 1976;Battles et al, 1987;Klement et al, 1996;Zenner, 1998;Huerkamp et al, 2000;Oge et al, 2000;Pritchett, 2002).…”

The presence of Syphacia obvelata in laboratory mice (BALB/c) — parasite antigens in immune response

“…muris, despite of absence of apparent histopathological changes, intestinal transport of water and electrolytes is significantly decreased due to pinworm infection (Lübcke et al, 1992).…”