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Abstract
Susceptibility to infection with Brachylaima cribbi was studied in eight strains of
inbred mice (AKR, C3H/HeJ, CBA/CaH, BALB/c, DBA/2J, SJL/J, A/J, C57BL/6J) and Swiss
albino outbred mice by quantifying faecal egg excretion over the period of the infection.
Preliminary experiments indicated that a combination of filtration/sedimentation/diethyl
ether sedimentation was the most sensitive and reliable technique for quantification
of eggs in faeces. Mice were infected with 13-15 wild-type B. cribbi metacercariae
from naturally infected Cernuella virgata and in a second experiment with human-derived
B. cribbi from laboratory-reared Helix aspersa. In both experiments C57BL/6J mice
were the most susceptible having the highest egg excretion levels and the longest
duration of infection. Worm burdens were assessed at 12 wpi for the wild-type and
at 9 wpi for the human-derived infections, when the majority of mice were no longer
excreting eggs. The numbers of worms recovered from the small intestine were few and
there were no significant differences among the inbred or outbred groups of mice.
We have found that C57BL/6J mice were the most susceptible to Brachylaima cribbi infection
as assessed by excretion of eggs and provide a suitable model for a laboratory life-cycle.