Holochilus brasiliensis nanus is a rodent, native to the State of Maranhão, Brazil, which is frequently found when captured to be infected and diseased wich Schistosoma mansoni. It is therefore a useful animal model for experimental studies on schistosomiasis. Studies on the peripheral blood counts in four groups of these rodents are reported. The blood counts of uninfected wild (Group 1) and uninfected laboratory-reared rodents (Group 2) were not found to differ. The laboratory-reared-infected rodents were repeatedly examined over 8 weeks; a progressive rise in the white cell count, and a fall in the red cell count, was noted. Eosinophilia was observed only in the naturally infected wild rodents (Groups 3). These data increased the knowledge regarding the blood counts of these animals when infected with Schistosoma mansoni, information that is important in such a useful natural animal model for schistosomiasis mansoni.
Holochilus brasiliensis nanus; Experimental infection; Schistosoma mansoni; Blood cell count; Wild rodents