Effect of Size of Trichinella spiralis (Nematode) Infections on Glucose and Ion Transport in the Rat Intestine

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Abstract
An in vivo perfusion technique, using 3 intestinal loops representing the anterior, mid and posterior regions of the rat small intestine, was used to determine intestinal glucose uptake 5 days after infection with T. spiralis. At high levels of infection (3000 and 6000 larvae/rat) net glucose absorption by the intestinal mucosa was significantly impaired in all regions of the small intestine when compared to uninfected controls. At low levels of infection (50 larvae/rat) glucose uptake by the mucosa was significantly enhanced in all 3 regions of the small intestine. Intermediate levels of infections (200-1000 larvae/rat) also enhanced glucose uptake, but only in the anterior regions of the small intestine. When washings from the small intestine of rats infected with 50 larvae/rat were added to the perfusion fluid used on uninfected rats, glucose uptake was also significantly enhanced. At low levels of infection the intestinal lumen contains a metabolite which may affect the mucosal transport and the related fluxes of H2O, Na+, Cl- and K+, in the rat intestine. Luminal [H+] and pCO2 [partial pressure of CO2] decreased from the proximal to distal regions of the small intestine following perfusion; pO2 was significantly decreased in the proximal and distal regions.