Plasmodium Yoelii Nigeriensis Infection and Immune Response in Mice and Rats
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Date
1988
Authors
Fagbenro-Beyioku, F.A
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Publisher
University of Lagos
Abstract
The Biology of Plasmodium yoelli nigeriensis in rodents and the reaction of rats and mice to the infection were studied. In investigations into the course of infection of Plasmodium yoelli nigeriensis in rats and mice, it was found that adult mice and baby rats were susceptible to the infection, while adult rats were totally resistant. The infection was rapidly fatal in both adult and baby mice while in baby rats; it was tolerated until the animals were 7 weeks old, after which they are able to eradicate the infection. Investigations conducted into the possible causes of this non-susceptibility of adult rats revealed that both the serum and thoracic duct cells of these animals conveyed some immunity. The serum conveyed noticeable immunity to rodents of another species, i.e mice, while the thoracic duct cells conveyed total immunity to baby rats. Some mice which exhibited a phenomenon termed "spontaneous recovery" or "self cure", that is natural recovery without the use of any drugs, exhibited an immunity which lasted for the duration of the life time of the animals. This immunity was found to be non-transferrable to the offspring as babies born to such parents exhibited the normal course of infection as other baby mice. In investigations correlating the quantity of food to the course of infection of Plasmodium yoelli nigeriensis in adult mice, it was found that animals which had adequate food were in better condition to withstand infections with Plasmodium yoelli nigeriensis. The less food the animal had, the longer the pre-patent period of the parasite, but the earlier animal host died of its effects. The effect of a chronic disease e.g. Schistosomiasis, on the course of infection of Plasmodium yoelli nigeriensis was also investigated. Interestingly enough, mild infections with Schistosoma mansoni (100 cercariae per animal) was found to be beneficial to the rodent host in attenuating infections with Plasmodium yoelli nigeriensis within the early days of the Schistosoma infection. More animals infected at this time recovered from the malaria infections. Even heavier infections at this time exhibited a beneficial effect in that the animals died much later than control animals which had no Schistosoma. In challenges made to animals which had worms that would have reached sexual maturity, the course of Plasmodium yoelli nigeriensis was comparable to that of normal mice.
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Keywords
Plasmodium Yoelii Nigeriensis , Infection
Citation
Fagbenro-Beyioku, F.A (1988), Plasmodium Yoelii Nigeriensis Infection and Immune Response in Mice and Rats, University of Lagos School of Postgraduate Studies Phd Thesis and Dissertation Abstracts, 157pp.