Chronological observation of intestinal lesions of rats experimentally infected with <i>Echinostoma hortense</i>

, Lee, S H; , Noh, T Y; , Sohn, W M; , Kho, W G; , Hong, S T; , Chai, J Y

doi:1990.28.1.45

Korean J Parasito > Volume 28(1):1990 > Article

Original Article


Korean J Parasitol. 1990 Mar;28(1):45-52. Korean. Published online Mar 20, 1994. http://dx.doi.org/10.3347/kjp.1990.28.1.45
Copyright © 1990 by The Korean Society for Parasitology


Chronological observation of intestinal lesions of rats experimentally infected with Echinostoma hortense
S H Lee,T Y Noh,W M Sohn,^W G Kho,^S T Hong and J Y Chai
Department of Parasitology and Institute of Endemic Diseases, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul 110-460, Korea.


Abstract
Intestinal histopathological changes due to infection with Echinostoma hortense (Trematoda) were studied in rats after experimental infection with the metacercariae. The metacercariae were obtained from the tadpoles of Rana nigromaculata, a second intermediate host infected in the laboratory. Total 18 albino rats (Sprague-Dawley) were given 200 matacercariae each and sacrificed on the day 1, 3, 7, 11, 22 or 44 post-infection (PI). Segments of the small intestine at 1, 3, 5, 8 and 30 cm posterior to the pylorus (PTP) were resected and studied histopathologically. 1. The flukes were seen to have intruded into the intervillous space in the upper small intestine at early stages (1-3 days PI), however, they were located mainly in the intestinal lumen at later stages (7-44 days PI). The flukes were sucking and destroying the epithelial layers of villi with their oral and ventral suckers. 2. Histopathological changes of the intestine were recognizable in as early as 1-3 days after infection, and the changes became severer as the infection progressed. 3. The intestinal mucosa was histopathologically characterized by villous atrophy and crypt hyperplasia throughout the infection period. Major villous changes were blunting, fusion, severe destruction and loss of epithelial layers of villi. Villous/crypt (V/C) height ratio was remarkably reduced from 3:1 in controls to 1:1 in severely infected animals. In the stroma of villi, inflammatory cell infiltrations, vascular congestion, edema, and/or fibrosis were recognized. The goblet cells were increased in number after 11 days PI.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Figures

Figs. 1-5
Fig. 1. Duodenal villi and crypts of a control (uninfected) rat (3 cm posterior to the pylorus; PTP). Villi are tall, slender, and the villus/crypt (V/C) ratio is about 3 : 1. × 100.

Fig. 2. Duodenum (3 cm PTP) of a 22-day group rat infected with E. hortense. Note remarkably deformed, flattened villi with decreased V/C ratio and significantly increased number of goblet cells. × 40.

Fig. 3. Duodenum (3 cm PTP) of a 1-day group rat infected with E. hortense. A juvenile E. hortense (arrow) is seen crouching on the top of a villus, of which height is significantly reduced. The stroma shows inflammatory cell infiltrations. × 100.

Fig. 4. Jejunal region (8 cm PTP) of a 3-day group rat infected with E. hortense. Villi are seen to be fused each other and atrophic. V/C ratio is about 2 : 1. A sucker (seemingly ventral sucker) of a young worm (arrow) is sucking the epithelial portion of a villus. × 100.

Fig. 5. Jejunum (8 cm PTP) of a 7-day group rat showing inflamed mucosa and sections of 3 young worms. A worm (arrow) is intruding into the intervillous space with its oral sucker and anterior body. × 40.

Figs. 6-11
Fig. 6. Duodenum (5 cm PTP) of a 7-day group rat infected with E. hortense, showing 5 young worms locating free in the lumen. Note blunt, fused, inflamed villi and hyperplastic crypts. × 40.

Fig. 7. Duodenum (3 cm PTP) of another rat, 7-day group. A young worm is pricking the epithelium of a villus with its collar spines (arrow). Villi are edematous and inflamed. × 100.

Fig. 8. Duodenum (5 cm PTP) of a 11-day group rat. The whole lumen is compactly filled with many young adults of E. hortense. The whole mucosa is severely destroyed. × 40.

Fig. 9. Duodenum fo a 7-day group rat (3 cm PTP), showing a sectioned worm and adjacent villi. Villi show marked cell infiltrations. The oral and ventral suckers (arrow) are pinching some portions of a villus. The head collar of the worm is characteristically seen around its oral sucker. × 100.

Fig. 10. Close-up view of a worm and a duodenal villus (5 cm PTP) from a 22-day group rat infedted with E. hortense. The worm is vigorously sucking the villus with its widely open oral sucker. Several collar spines (arrow) are seen on its head collar. × 200.

Fig. 11. Duodenum (5 cm PTP) of a 44-day group rat. The villi are being sucked by a worm. × 40.

Tables


	Table 1 Pathological changes of intestinal villi^* and crypts

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