Intestinal absorption of glucose in rats after continuous challenge with larvae of Nippostrongylus brasiliensis.

The rate of glucose absorption and metabolism and the associated fluid transfer of the small intestine of rats was measured in vitro using an everted sac technique after daily doses of 0, 5, 25 or 225 infective larvae of Nippostrongylus for periods of one to five weeks. Though there were occasional significant changes in the physiology of the intestine there were no obvious patterns or trends with respect to time at any infection level. This differs from the response after a single infection. The possible role of immune adaptation and reduced immunogenicity of the worms during repeated infections is considered.