Iranian Journal of Parasitology (Sep 2012)

Larva Migration and Eosinophilia in Mice Experimentally In­fected With Gnathostoma spinigerum

  • K Kraivichian,
  • N Choomchuay,
  • W Saksirisampant,
  • B Wongsatayanon Thanomsub

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 7, no. 3
pp. 73 – 81

Abstract

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Background: Gnathostoma spinigerum causes larva migran in human which is endemic in Southeast Asia. Information regarding larva migration is limited. In this study, we investigated the parasite migra­tion by recovery of worms from the whole body of mouse after oral infection with advanced third stage larvae (AL3). The percentage of blood eosinophils was examined in parallel. Methods: Mice were orally infected with AL3 and histological study of organs was investigated in order to study the migration of AL3, along with blood eosinophilia. Results: At 1 hr post infection (PI), the larvae remained in the stomach, thereafter at 3, 5, 7, 10 and 24 hr PI; they were recovered from various organs including liver, mesentery, esophagus, diaphragm, lung, heart and dorsal fat. At day 15 PI, they were mostly found in muscles (76.47%). The average worm recovery (5 months) was 78.03%. The worms were found in the liver at every time point. Larva encystment was detected. There was a significant difference in blood eosinophils between the 8 larvae- (average 9.33% + 6.25%) and the 15 larvae-infected groups (average 22.66% + 11.03%). Surprisingly, the blood eosinophils (average 19.00% + 2.92%) were not higher in the higher infective dose- group (25 larvae). Conclusion: Liver was involved by G. spinigerum throughout the study. We detected larva encyst­ment which had never been reported in human gnathostomiasis. The highest percentage of eosino­phil occurred during the invasive stage.

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