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SummaryThe effects of ivermectin were studied in laboratory rats naturally infected with the pinworm Syphacia muris. Ivermectin was administered over four 5-days periods in drinking water; the ivermectin dose was 2.5 mg/kg of body weight per day. All the rats were weighed every five days and their ova production was monitored by a cellophanetape test. Every fifth day six males and six females from the experimental group were euthanized and examined for adult pinworms and larvae. The rats' health condition, behaviour and consumption of food and water were monitored every day. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of orally administered ivermectin as a treatment against adult pinworms and their larvae in laboratory rat colonies.
Pinworms (Nematoda: Oxyurida) are common contaminants in most laboratory rodent colonies. The aim of the study was to monitor the transmission of Syphacia muris eggs in laboratory rat breeding facilities. Dust in a breeding room was investigated using special grids (free fallout, or through the help suction chamber). Furthermore, the ventilation system, breeding cages and the hands of the laboratory technical staff were examined. In the case of free fallout, the percentage of positive grids increased slightly over time: from 5.5% (after 24 h) to 8.2% (72 h). Similar values were also found when using the suction chamber (7.6%). Many more pinworm eggs were found in samples collected every second month from suction holes of the ventilation system (28.7%). One-half of the samples taken from the breeding cages (before washing) exhibited pinworm eggs (50.8%). Examination of the hands of technical staff showed positive detection in 37.9% of cases. In this study, certain transmission factors (dust, unclean cages and technicians) were proved to be significant in the distribution of pinworm infection in laboratory rodent facilities.
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