Meagher S
Museum of Zoology and Department of Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 48109, USA.
J Parasitol. 1998 Dec;84(6):1112-8.
Negative effects due to infection have not been documented for most natural host-parasite associations. I performed an infection experiment to measure the physiological consequences of infection by Capillaria hepatica in deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus gracilis). Compared to their uninfected siblings, infected mice displayed increased serum concentrations of alkaline phosphatase and total proteins and reduced concentrations of albumin. Infected mice also had higher hematocrits and enlarged livers and spleens. There was no difference in swimming endurance between infected and control animals, possibly because mice did not perform at maximum aerobic capacity. Sex differences in alkaline phosphatase and albumin levels suggest that females are more sensitive to similar burdens of C. hepatica. Different hematocrit responses between mice from 2 localities suggest that historical associations can lead to evolutionary change in pathophysiology caused by this nematode. Further experiments would reveal whether these disturbances lead to reductions in host fitness.
对于大多数天然宿主-寄生虫关联而言，尚未有感染产生负面影响的记录。我进行了一项感染实验，以测量肝毛细线虫感染鹿鼠（纤细白足鼠）后的生理后果。与未感染的同胞相比，感染的小鼠血清碱性磷酸酶和总蛋白浓度升高，白蛋白浓度降低。感染的小鼠还具有更高的血细胞比容以及肝脏和脾脏肿大。感染组和对照组动物之间的游泳耐力没有差异，这可能是因为小鼠没有以最大有氧能力进行运动。碱性磷酸酶和白蛋白水平的性别差异表明，雌性对相似程度的肝毛细线虫负担更为敏感。来自两个地点的小鼠之间不同的血细胞比容反应表明，历史关联可导致这种线虫引起的病理生理学发生进化变化。进一步的实验将揭示这些干扰是否会导致宿主适应性下降。
