Failure of auto-infection with hymenolepis nana in seven inbred strains of mice initially given beetle-derived cysticercoids

Abstract

Seven inbred strains of euthymic mice and two inbred strains of congenitally hypothymic nude mice were given 20 beetle-derived cysticercoids of Hymenolepis nana. All seven strains of euthymic mice harboured adult worms from the initial infection, although worm fecundity was low and longevity short. In addition, all mice were highly resistant to auto-infection. The nude mice harboured not only adult worms with high fecundity and longevity derived from the primary infection, but they also harboured a massive burden of worms from auto-infection. There was some minor variation in the longevity and fecundity of adult worms in the various strains of euthymic mice, and this appeared to be correlate..