Abstract
Three hundred Swiss Webster albino mice three weeks of age were placed on low (8%), medium (24%), high (48%) protein levels and a commercial laboratory animal feed, Purina Chow for various lengths of time: (1) simultaneously with infection, and four weeks thereafter, (2) three weeks before infection and throughout the four-week infection period, and (3) six weeks prior to infection and during the infection period. The protein source was casein. Sixty of the 300 mice used served as noninfected controls, and the other 240 were each infected with 400 washed, suspended Trichinella spiralis larvae obtained from a rat by the digestion method.
All of the infected mice lost weight soon after infection. There is no significant difference in the yield of the adult worms from the small intestine of the mice on various protein diets and for various lengths of time. However, the younger mice had more adult worms than the older ones. Mice on low protein yielded the highest number of larvae. Mice on medium protein had the lowest number of larvae. Mice on Purina Chow had more encysted larvae than mice on medium protein, however, mice on high protein had more larvae than mice on medium protein and on Purina Chow, Death was most prevalent among mice on low protein.
The most significant finding is that a low or deficient protein diet lowers the hosts resistance and consequently many more larvae developed than in mice on a normal protein diet.
LLU Discipline
Microbiology
Department
Microbiology
School
Graduate School
First Advisor
Edward D. Wagner
Second Advisor
Raymond E. Ryckman
Third Advisor
Donald M. Brown
Fourth Advisor
Raymond A. Mortensen
Fifth Advisor
Ariel A. Roth
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Degree Level
M.S.
Year Degree Awarded
1964
Date (Title Page)
6-1964
Language
English
Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings
Trichinella
Type
Thesis
Page Count
ix; 73
Digital Format
Digital Publisher
Loma Linda University Libraries
Copyright
Author
Usage Rights
This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.
Recommended Citation
Kwan, Clare K., "The Effect of Varying Protein Intake on TRICHINELLA SPIRALIS Infection in Mice" (1964). Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects. 1542.
https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/1542
Collection
Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Collection Website
http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/
Repository
Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives
Included in
Amino Acids, Peptides, and Proteins Commons, Animal Experimentation and Research Commons, Biochemical Phenomena, Metabolism, and Nutrition Commons, Laboratory and Basic Science Research Commons, Microbiology Commons, Parasitology Commons