Standardization of the outbred BALB/c mice as a suitable animal model for Besnoitia caprae studies
2011
Namazi, Fatemeh | Namavari, Mohamad Mehdi | Rahimi, Ebrahim | Lotfi, Mohsen | Tahamtan, Yahya
The Apicomplexan parasite Besnoitia caprae infects wild and domestic goats. Knowledge on Besnoitia caprae specially an optimized animal model is sparse. Experimental infections with tachyzoites of BC-Pars obtained from BALB/c mice were conducted in outbred mice to determine the infectivity and LD50 of Besnoitia caprae. Six groups of five mice were intraperitoneally infected with 12.5 × 103, 25 × 103, 5 × 104, 1 × 105 and 2 × 105 tachyzoites and a control inoculum of DMEM, respectively. Although morbidity and mortality were observed in all groups, two mice in the 12.5 × 103 group showed alopecia and skin lesions on 60 days post-infection (DPI). Histopathological and molecular examination of skins confirmed B. caprae infection. The LD50 was calculated as 25 × 103.2 tachyzoites per mouse. The results indicate that outbred BALB/c mice can be used as a suitable model of besnoitiosis and to screen candidate treatments and to test the efficacy of vaccines for besnoitiosis.
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