Experimental Studies on Trichuris muris in Mice with an Appraisal of Its Use for Evaluating Anthelmintics

Attempts to infect white mice from five commercial sources with Trichuris muris yielded discouraging results. DBA-2 hybrid mice, particularly weanlings, were the most useful experimental hosts among nine types of rodents studied for susceptibility. In these mice, from 10 to 27 per cent of the administered eggs developed. Approximately 1 month was required for the worms to mature, and mature worms persisted for 2 to 3 months. However, the infections appeared to be of limited value in drug screening for trichuricidal activity, since they were refractory to treatment with the known trichuricides: dithiazanine iodide and pyrvinium chloride.