INTRODUCTION
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Examination of snakes for presence of Centrorhynchus larvae
Experimental infection and recovery of Centrorhynchus sp.
RESULTS
Recovery of Centrorhynchus larvae from rats
![]() | Fig. 1Acanthocephalan larvae are observed in an infected rat. (A) Three larvae are observed in the mesentery of a rat on day 5 PI (arrows). (B) An acanthocephalan larva is embedded in the internal oblique muscle of a rat on day 20 PI (arrow). (C) An acanthocephalan larva is penetrating the intestinal wall of a rat on day 3 PI. Stereomicroscopic view. (D) Five acanthocephalan larvae from a rat on day 70 PI, surrounded by the cyst. |
Table 1.
Morphology of Centrorhynchus larvae according to the day of development in rats
![]() | Fig. 2(A) The anterior part of a 10 day-old male. The number of hooks is 30 longitudinal rows of 13 hooks. (B) A 3-day old male. The proboscis receptacle is seen (arrowhead), and 2 testes are located near the midline of the worm (arrow). Bar = 10 µm. (C) A 20-day old male, showing 2 testes (arrow) and cement glands (arrowhead). Numerous cells are observed inside the cement gland. (D) A 20-day female larva showing numerous floating ovaries. Bar = 100 µm. |
Intestinal section of rats infected with acanthocephalan parasites
![]() | Fig. 3Section of the intestine and abdominal muscle of a rat. (A) A larva is penetrating the intestinal wall on day 1 PI. The anterior part of the worm was already outside the wall. Acute inflammatory infiltrates are observed around the worm. Bar = 400 µm. (B) Section of a 15-day old male, showing 3 tubular structures of cement glands. The testes are also seen anteroventrally. Bar = 200 µm. (C) A larva is observed in the internal oblique muscle of a rat on day 20 PI. It was observed that the worm was rimmed by epithelioid histiocytes with infiltration of lymphocytes and eosinophils, forming indistinct granulomas. Bar = 250 µm. |