Clonal and atypical Toxoplasma strain differences in virulence vary with mouse sub-species.

ABSTRACT: The severe virulence of Toxoplasma gondii in classical laboratory inbred mouse strains contradicts the hypothesis that house mice (Mus musculus) are the most important intermediate hosts for its transmission and evolution because death of the mouse before parasite transmission equals death of the parasite. However, the classical laboratory inbred mouse strains (Mus musculus domesticus), commonly used to test Toxoplasma strain differences in virulence, do not capture the genetic diversity within Mus musculus. Thus, it is possible that Toxoplasma strains that are severely virulent in laboratory inbred mice are avirulent in some other mouse sub-species. Here, we present insight into the responses of individual mouse strains, representing strains of the genetically divergent Mus musculus muscu

SUBMITTER: Hassan MA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6344230 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature