Maternal Transmission of Asexually Proliferative Mesocestoides corti Tetrathyridia (Cestoda) in Mice

Abstract

Asexually proliferative Mesocestoides corti tetrathyridia were studied to test the hypothesis of in utero transmission in mice and define more clearly the path of transmammary transmission. In utero transmission was not observed in 132 fetuses (22 litters) taken by caesarean section from infected mothers. However, 19 of these mothers had tetrathyridia in their mammary glands at the time of operation, nine had worms in the uterine lumen, and one had a single worm in the maternal blood space of a placenta. No tetrathyridia were found in amniotic cavities. No infection was found in 32 young (7 litters) examined immediately after birth to infected mothers, but before nursing. No infection was found in 30 young (5 litters) removed from infected mothers before nursing and raised by uninfected fosters. Of 29 uninfected young (5 litters) allowed to nurse on infected mothers, 18 became infected. Whole mounts and sections of infected mammary glands showed proliferating tetrathyridia free in larger milk ducts and free and encapsulated in mammary parenchyma. These data suggest that maternal transmission of M. corti tetrathyridia in mice occurs primarily or perhaps exclusively by the transmammary route.

Early post-larval development of the endoparasitic platyhelminthMesocestoides corti: Trypsin provokes reversible tegumental damage leading to serum-induced cell proliferation and growth

“…corti tetrathyridia have been largely used as a cestode experimental model, especially in immunobiology, biochemistry, pharmacology, and physiology of these parasites (Chernin and McLaren, 1983;Conn and Etges, 1983;Williams and Conn, 1985;Terenina et al, 1995;Kadian et al, 1996;Cardona et al, 1999).…”

Interactions between anomalous excretory and tegumental epithelia in aberrant Mesocestoides tetrathyridia from Apodemus sylvaticus in Spain

“…Posterior end of the same aberrant tetrathyridium in Fig. 7 showing clusters of abnormal branching tegumental pits (Tp) but normal posterior excretory antrum (E) laboratories around the world (Conn and Etges 1983;Williams and Conn 1985;Conn 1990;Etges 1991). Asexual reproduction of Mesocestoides tetrathyridia by mechanisms other than fission of the scolex, such as fission or budding of the hindbody, is much more common and has been reported from a variety of hosts from various parts of the world.…”

Cestode Transmission Patterns

“…But the story does not stop here. Experiments by Conn and Etges (1983) have shown that tetrathyridia can also be transmitted from mother to suckling mice via the transmammary route. This pattern of transmission, more common in nematodes and trematodes (Miller, 1981;Shoop, 1988), is apparently not rare since up to 62% of young nursing mice were infected this way.…”