Observations on glicemic levels of Holochilus brasiliensis nanus Thomas, 1897, natural host of Schistosoma mansoni from lower Amazonia

Abstract

Laboratory-reared wild rodents descended from Holochilus b. nanus and captured in the lowland region of lower Amazonia, were experimentally infected with Schistosoma mansoni from the same region in order to verify the influence of the infection on glicemic levels. A normal rodent group was also investigated in order to ascertain the normal glucose serum levels. Both groups (normal and infected animals) were carefully differentiated according to sex, alimentary regime and infection time. The bleeding was done weekly in the ophtaimic plexus, and always at the same scheduled time. The glucose was quantified by means of the Ortho-Toluidin method. The results showed body-weight increase in every normal animal during this maturation, the infected animals showed weight decrease along with the development of the infection. The normal female animals had lower and more stable glucose levels, than the males, whether fed or not. In the 30-day-old infected animals the glucose levels declined as the infection developed (because it may be supposed, of the way the organs such as the liver, the spleen and the pancreas were affected). The glucose levels in the 40-day-old infected animals, during the 8 weeks of infection, did not vary significantly. The number of adult worms recovered from the 30-day-old infected animals were greater than from the other group. The data also showed that the ideal age for infection in this experimental model was at 30 days of life, similar to that of others, such as mice.