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Immunobiological characterization of Graphidium strigosum experimental infection in rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

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Abstract

An experimental infection of rabbits with a wild isolate of the gastric nematode Graphidium strigosum was carried out. Animals (3.5 months age) were infected with 1,000 L3 administered by bucoesophagic catheter (five rabbits) or kept as uninfected control group (five animals). The infection was maintained for 3 months. Along the experimental period, some parasitological, hematological and immunological parameters were determined. Prepatent period of the infection ranged from 30 to 38 days and, at necropsy, average adult helminth counts were 430.75 ± 126.12. No significant variations were found in packed cell volume, leukocyte, and eosinophil counts along the experimental period. Infection elicited a clear serum-specific IgG response, estimated by ELISA, during patency. Pooled sera from the patent period of the infection recognized some soluble antigens, particularly, a 67-kDa protein. Experimentally infected animals did not show cross recognition between G. strigosum, Haemonchus contortus, and Teladorsagia circumcincta. However, Western blot analysis with hyperimmune sera against H. contortus raised in rabbits and lambs showed cross reactivity between this helminth species and G. strigosum.

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Acknowledgements

Research was funded by CICYT project AGL2006-10589. Support from the UCM Special Action to JMA (AE3/08-16119) is acknowledged. Valuable comments by Dr. S. Méndez (J.A. Baker Institute, Cornell University) and an anonymous reviewer improved the manuscript. R. Paramio provided excellent technical assistance.

Experimental conditions comply with the Spanish laws on animal experimentation.

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  1. Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University Complutense of Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain

    M. Cuquerella & J. M. Alunda

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  1. M. Cuquerella
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  2. J. M. Alunda
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Correspondence to J. M. Alunda.

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Cuquerella, M., Alunda, J.M. Immunobiological characterization of Graphidium strigosum experimental infection in rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). Parasitol Res 104, 371–376 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-008-1206-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-008-1206-y

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