Assessment of transmammary transmission of Trichinella patagoniensis in BALB/c mice

Since 1916 to date, it has been suspected that vertical transmission of parasites from the genus Trichinella could occur in pregnant or lactating women during the parenteral phase of infection. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the transmammary transmission of T. patagoniensis in BALB/c mice. Twenty 7-week-old BALB/c mice were distributed into two groups of 10 individuals each, depending on the time of gestation when they were infected, 15 or 18 days after detection of the vaginal plug. Each group was subdivided into two subgroups of 5 mice each, which were given an oral dose of 100 or 500 infective larvae respectively. Euthanasia and subsequent artificial digestion was performed in the pups and the dams. No T. patagoniensis L1 larvae were found in any of the offsprings analyzed. The observed results suggest that vertical transmission of T. patagoniensis would not be possible in BALB/c mice. (C) 2016 Asociacion Argentina de Microbiologia. Published by Elsevier Espana, S.L.U.