Tree Rat,
            <i>Thamnomys surdaster surdaster</i>
            , in Laboratory Research

Yoeli, Meir; ALGER, N; H, Most

doi:10.1126/science.142.3599.1585

Cited by 11 publications

(6 citation statements)

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“…In laboratory conditions the African tree rat does not seem to be able to attain its full reproductive capacity-this is not due to effects on litter size so much as an inability to regularly attain the minimum interval between litters. The normal litter size of two, three or four young found during this study agrees with those reported previously (Rodhain, 1954;Yoeli, Alger & Most, 1963). The present data indicate that pregnancy can recur at 28-29 day intervals but does not always do so.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

“…Thus when fertilization occurs lactation is already well established. In all other aspects of female reproduction Grummomys is very similar to the laboratory rat with the exception of the number of teats and the well-documented tenacity with which the young of the former attach themselves to the teats during the first 16 days or so of lactation (Rodhain, 1954;Yoeli et al, 1963).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Reproduction in the female African tree rat (Grammomys surdaster)*

Bland

1973

Journal of Zoology

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Under laboratory conditions, the African tree rat, Grammomys surdaster surdaster (Thomas & Wroughton, 1908), had four‐ or five‐day oestrous cycles and sterile mating induced a 12‐ or 13–day pseudopregnancy. Fertile mating resulted in a pregnancy of 24 days and litters usually consisted of two, three or four young. Mating at the post‐partum oestrus was rare, but oestrus recurred four or five days later, irrespective of whether or not a litter was being suckled. Conception frequently occurred at this oestrus. Pregnancy length was not influenced by the number of young suckling and delayed implantation was not observed. Puberty usually occurred between 50 and 70 days of age but first conception occurred most frequently between 80 and 100 days of age.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reproduction in the female African tree rat (Grammomys surdaster)*

Bland

1973

Journal of Zoology

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“…Ambient temperature should not exceed 25 °C. Details on breeding G. surdaster thicket rats can be found in Yoeli et al. (1963).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Already in 1962, a breeding colony with animals captured in what is now R.D. Congo, was established for studies on Plasmodium , Leishmania , Trypanosoma and other parasites (Yoeli et al. 1963).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Susceptibility of Grammomys surdaster thicket rats to Trypanosoma brucei gambiense infection

Büscher

Shamamba

Ngoyi

et al. 2005

Tropical Med Int Health

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SummaryHuman African Trypanosomiasis is caused by Trypanosoma brucei gambiense and T. b. rhodesiense. Historically, a treatment relapse rate of about 5% is observed in patients treated with melarsoprol, an arsenical derivative used for treatment of both gambiense and rhodesiense second stage sleeping sickness.More recently, relapse rates up to 30% are noted in gambiense sleeping sickness foci in Angola, Sudan and Uganda. Therefore, WHO established a Network on Treatment Failure and Drug Resistance in Sleeping Sickness. One of its objectives is to improve isolation of T. b. gambiense from relapsing cases for research on drug resistance mechanisms. Trypanosoma b. gambiense isolation techniques suffer from low success rates and long periods needed to adapt the parasite to its new host. Usually, rodents are inoculated with patient's blood or cerebrospinal fluid and sub-passaged until the strain becomes sufficiently adapted to yield high parasitaemia within few days after inoculation. Until now, the best recipient for T. b. gambiense is Mastomys natalensis, with a success rate of about 50%. In this study, Grammomys surdaster (former Thamnomys surdaster) was investigated as a potential recipient for isolation of T. b. gambiense. Comparative experimental infections of Swiss mice, Wistar rats and G. surdaster thicket rats with T. b. gambiense clearly show that this trypanosome grows faster in G. surdaster. Inoculation of the same rodent species with patient's blood and cerebrospinal fluid in Kinshasa (R.D. Congo) confirms the observation that the thicket rats are more susceptible to T. b. gambiense infection than typical laboratory rodents.

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“…It occupies a diverse range of habitats, from tall grasses to forests, and its diet consists primarily of fruits, plant material and insects (Kingdon 1984;Wirminghaus & Perrin 1992). The life history of G. dolichurus has been well studied in captivity since the species has served as an experimental animal in malaria studies, but very little is known about its ecology in the wild (Yoeli et al 1963;Bland 1973).…”

Section: Study Site and Study Speciesmentioning

confidence: 99%