Deter J, Cosson J-F, Chaval Y, Charbonnel N, Morand S
Département INRA-EFPA 1062, Centre de Biologie et de Gestion et des Populations, Campus International de Baillarguet, CS 30016, 34988 Montferrier sur lez, France.
Parasitol Res. 2007 Sep;101(4):1161-4. doi: 10.1007/s00436-007-0584-x. Epub 2007 May 23.
Parasites have detrimental effects on host fitness. Consequently, they play a major role for host population dynamics. In this study, we investigated experimentally the impact of the nematode Trichuris arvicolae on the reproduction of its host, the common vole Microtus arvalis. Wild common voles were trapped in east of France and reared in standardized conditions before being experimentally infected. Infection with Trichuris arvicolae did not affect host consumption of food or water. Parasitized females gave birth to slightly less pups (mean 3.36 +/- 0.38) than unparasitized females (mean 3.60 +/- 0.40). Controlling for natal litter size using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), T. arvicolae infection had a significant effect on the individual mass at birth, with pups from parasitized females having significantly lower mass (2.11 g +/- 0.01) than pups from unparasitized females (2.20 g +/- 0.01). Other measures of host reproductive outputs (time to first reproduction, mass of pups at weaning, litter survival) were not affected by maternal parasite infection. We discuss how these changes in M. arvalis reproductive investments associated with T. arvicolae infection must now be investigated in the context of physiological trade-offs.
寄生虫对宿主健康具有不利影响。因此，它们在宿主种群动态中起着重要作用。在本研究中，我们通过实验研究了线虫阿氏毛首线虫对其宿主普通田鼠繁殖的影响。野生普通田鼠在法国东部捕获，在标准化条件下饲养，然后进行实验性感染。感染阿氏毛首线虫并未影响宿主的食物或水消耗量。受寄生虫感染的雌性田鼠产仔数略少于未受感染的雌性田鼠（平均3.36±0.38只）（未受感染的雌性田鼠平均产仔数为3.60±0.40只）。使用协方差分析（ANCOVA）对出生时的窝仔数进行控制后，阿氏毛首线虫感染对出生时的个体体重有显著影响，受感染雌性田鼠所产幼崽的体重（2.11克±0.01克）显著低于未受感染雌性田鼠所产幼崽（2.20克±0.01克）。宿主繁殖产出的其他指标（首次繁殖时间、断奶时幼崽体重、窝仔存活率）不受母体寄生虫感染的影响。我们讨论了现在必须在生理权衡的背景下研究与阿氏毛首线虫感染相关的普通田鼠繁殖投资的这些变化。
