Further Studies on Capillaria philippinensis: Development of the Parasite in the Mongolian Gerbil

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Abstract
C. philippinensis larvae from the digestive tract of a Northern Luzon freshwater fish (Hypselotris bipartita) experimentally exposed to embryonated eggs, were given by stomach tube to Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus). The larvae developed into adults within 10-11 days and female worms produced larvae within 13-14 days. These larvae developed into 2nd generation adults by days 22-24, and the 2nd generation females produced eggs that were present in the feces of the animal on the average 26 days after infection. Most females were oviparous but a few larviparous females were always present. The gerbils died on an average of 46 days after infection, with the highest numbers of worms recovered between days 36 and 46. All stages of the parasite were generally found at necropsy. Gerbils developed patent infections after receiving 2 or 3 larvae from fish, and 852 to 5353 worms were recovered at necropsy. Autoinfection is an integral part of the life cycle of C. philippinensis, bothinitially and in maintaining the infection. The natural transmission of the parasite was demonstrated when H. bipartita from a lagoon in the endemic area were fed to gerbils and 3 became infected. The parasite can also be maintained in the laboratory by transfer of worms by stomach tube from the small intestines of an infected gerbil to a clean gerbil.

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