BASOPHILS AND EOSINOPHILS IN 3 STRAINS OF RATS AND IN ATHYMIC (NUDE) RATS FOLLOWING INFECTION WITH THE NEMATODES NIPPOSTRONGYLUS-BRASILIENSIS OR TRICHINELLA-SPIRALIS

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  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 39  (3) , 385-389
Abstract
Infection with the nematode N. brasiliensis stimulates a basophilia and an eosinophilia in the blood of August rats. Blood levels of basophils and eosinophils were increased in 2 other rat strains, 1 inbred and 1 outbred, after infection with N. brasiliensis and infection of 2 inbred rat strains with T. spiralis stimulated a basophilia and an eosinophilia. No increase occurred in basophils or eosinophils in athymic (nude) rats infected with N. brasiliensis, although both these cell types were found in the blood of control, specific pathogen free [SPF] nude rats in numbers comparable to those in SPF, heterozygote controls of the same strain. Rat basophils usually have few granules and in blood smears often appear as if they were partly degranulated. Basophils from uninfected nude rats contained more negative than positive staining granules compared with basophils from parasitized heterozygotes. The possession of small numbers of granules which vary in their reaction to stains of the Romanowski type is a normal feature of rat basophils in blood smears. Rat basophils differ in these respects from those of other species.