Infection dynamics of Cryptosporidium parvum in ICR outbred suckling mice.

An ICR outbred suckling mouse model of cryptosporidiosis was used to explain some of the variability associated with experimental Cryptosporidium parvum infections in neonate mice. Fourty-four groups of 12 mice each, ranging in age from 4-12 days, each received 1.0 x 10(4) CsCl purified oocysts per os in 5 microns PBS. At 6 days post-inoculation (PI), mice were killed by CO2 overdose and individually weighed. Intestines were then homogenized and oocysts were quantified by hemacytometer. Results revealed that both age and weight have pronounced effects on numbers of oocysts produced in vivo, with larger and older mice producing higher numbers of parasites. Mice 8-9 days of age at the time of inoculation displayed the least amount of weight dependent variability, produced the highest numbers of oocysts, and were judged to be superior over other ages for pharmaceutical screening. Significant reductions in numbers of oocysts occurred in mice inoculated at 10 days of age, and only a few oocysts were found in mice inoculated at 11-12 days of age. These studies suggest that at least some data on Cryptosporidium generated from suckling mouse studies to date are probably unreliable and should be viewed skeptically.