Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T04:09:47.728Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Association between Pelodera strongyloides (Nematoda: Rhabditidae) and wood mice, Apodemus sylvaticus

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

W. M. Hominick
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology and Applied Entomology, Imperial College at Silwood Park, Ashurst Lodge, Ascot, Berks.
Amanda J. Aston
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology and Applied Entomology, Imperial College at Silwood Park, Ashurst Lodge, Ascot, Berks.

Summary

Pelodera strongyloides larvae were found in the conjunctival sacs of Apodemus sylvaticus and Clethrionomys glareolus and in hair follicles of A. sylvaticus. Those in the eyes were 3rd-stage larvae while most of those in the dermis were early 4th stages. There was no evidence of pathology and sections of the skin showed that the nematodes were well-tolerated by the mice. Nematodes emerged from the skin of freshly killed mice and moulted once to the adult stage in 1–2 days at 15 °C. The stimulus to resume development appeared to be a reduction in temperature rather than presence of bacterial food or reduction in osmotic pressure. Countless generations ensued on nutrient agar provided the nematodes were periodically sub-cultured onto fresh agar. Nematodes from the eyes died in culture. Dauerlarvae of P. strongyloides were produced in exhausted cultures. They resumed development on fresh agar but not in distilled water. About half could be induced to exsheath by a temperature similar to that of mouse skin. A. sylvaticus probably accumulates nematode larvae in the dermis during its life and the nematodes resume development when the host dies.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1981

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Andersson, M. & Erlinge, S. (1977). Influence of predation on rodent populations. Oikos 29, 591–7.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barriga, O. O. (1971). Population dynamics of a protoparasitic nematode in laboratory culture. Boletin Chileno de Parasitologia 26, 1416.Google ScholarPubMed
Bergeland, M. E., Todd, K. S. Jr & Ohlendorf, L. F. (1976). Dermatitis in sheep caused by Pelodera strongyloides. Proceedings of the Helminthological Society of Washington 43, 230–1.Google Scholar
Canning, E. U., Cox, F. E. G., Croll, N. A. & Lyons, K. M. (1973). The natural history of Slapton Ley nature reserve. VI. Studies on the parasites. Field Studies 3, 681718.Google Scholar
Chitwood, B. G. (1932). The association of Rhabditis strongyloides with dermatitis in dogs. North American Veterinarian 13, 3540.Google Scholar
Cliff, G. M. & Anderson, R. C. (1980). Development of Pelodera strongyloides (Schneider, 1860) Schneider, 1866 (Nematoda: Rhadbitidae) in culture. Journal of Helminthology 54, 135–46.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cliff, G. M., Anderson, R. C. & Mallory, F. F. (1978). Dauerlarvae of Pelodera strongyloides (Schneider, 1860) (Nematoda: Rhabditidae) in the conjunctival sacs of lemmings. Canadian Journal of Zoology 56, 2117–21.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Farrington, D. O., Lundvall, R. L. & Greve, J. (1976). Pelodera strongyloides dermatitis in a horse in Iowa. Veterinary Medicine and Small Animal Clinician 71, 1199–202.Google Scholar
Hominick, W. M. & Aston, A. J. (1980). Pelodera strongyloides larvae (Nematoda: Rhabditidae) in the skin of the genital region of wood mice, Apodemus sylvaticus. Parasitology 81, xlix.Google Scholar
Hooper, D. J. (1970). Handling, fixing, staining and mounting nematodes. In Laboratory Methods for Work with Plant and Soil Nematodes (ed. Southey, J. F.), pp. 3954. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office.Google Scholar
Kipnis, R. M. & Todd, K. S. Jr (1977). Pelodera strongyloides in the urine of a cat. Feline Practice 7, 1619.Google Scholar
Levine, N. D. (1968). Nematode Parasites of Domestic Animals and of Man. Minneapolis: Burgess.Google Scholar
Levine, N. D., Miller, L. J., Morrill, C. C. & Mansfield, M. E. (1950). Nematode dermatitis in cattle associated with Rhabditis. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 116, 294–6.Google Scholar
Poinar, G. O. Jr (1965). Life history of Pelodera strongyloides (Schneider) in the orbits of murid rodents in Great Britain. Proceedings of the Helminthological Society of Washington 32, 148–51.Google Scholar
Poinar, G. O. Jr (1972). Nematodes as facultative parasites of insects. Annual Review of Entomology 17, 103–22.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Poinar, G. O. Jr & Thomas, G. M. (1975). Rhabditis pellio Schneider (Nematoda) from the earthworm Aporrectodea trapezoides Duges (Annelida). Journal of Nematology 7, 374–9.Google ScholarPubMed
Prokopič, J., Baruš, V. & Hodkova, Z. (1974). Preliminary report on the incidence of larvae of the family Rhabditidae (Nematoda) in the eyes of rodents. Folia Parasitologica 21, 189–92.Google ScholarPubMed
Rhode, E. A., Jasper, D. E., Baker, N. F. & Douglas, J. R. (1953). The occurrence of Rhabditis dermatitis in cattle. North American Veterinarian 34, 634–7.Google Scholar
Riddle, D. L. (1978). The genetics of development and behaviour in Caenorhabditis elegans. Journal of Nematology 10, 116.Google ScholarPubMed
Schwartzman, R. M. (1964). Rhabditic dermatitis in the dog. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 145, 25–8.Google ScholarPubMed
Stammer, H. J. (1956). Die Parasiten deutscher Kleinsäuger. Zoologischer Anzeiger 19, 362–90.Google Scholar
Yarwood, E. A. & Hansen, E. L. (1968). Axenic culture of Pelodera strongyloides Schneider. Journal of Parasitology 54, 133–6.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed