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The effect of low dietary zinc on outcome of primary and challenge nematode infections in mice /

The effect of low dietary zinc on the survival and reproduction of an intestinal nematode (Heligmosomoides polygyrus) during both primary (Experiment 1) and challenge (Experiment 2) infections was investigated. Plasma zinc concentrations were significantly lower in mice fed a 5 ppm zinc diet (ZR), compared with control mice fed a 60 ppm zinc diet (C) in both experiments. There were no significant differences between ZR and C mice in any other zinc parameter or on worm burdens or worm fecundity in either experiment. Comparisons between the primary infection and the challenge infection did suggest a possible effect of calorie restriction on worm burdens. / Parasitic infection did, however, affect the host nutritional status. Spleen weight was significantly higher in infected mice in both experiments. In the challenge infection, both liver and spleen copper concentrations were significantly higher, and spleen iron concentration significantly lower in the infected mice. That these significant results were seen only in the challenge infection may suggest the role of the host immune response.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.59808
Date January 1990
CreatorsMinkus, Tracy M.
PublisherMcGill University
Source SetsLibrary and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeElectronic Thesis or Dissertation
Formatapplication/pdf
CoverageMaster of Science (School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition.)
RightsAll items in eScholarship@McGill are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated.
Relationalephsysno: 001116680, proquestno: AAIMM66413, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest.

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