Evaluation of Intestinal pH and Osmolality Levels in Rats (Rattus norvegicus) and Chickens (Gallus gallus) Experimentally Infected With Trichinella zimbabwensis

The intestinal pH and osmolality levels of Rattus norvegicus and Gallus gallus infected with Trichinella zimbabwensis were evaluated. Forty five 10-week old male rats (Rattus norvegicus) and twenty four 3-week old chicks (Gallus gallus) were subdivided into 4 groups (Group1 uninfected rats, Group 2 infected rats, Group 3 uninfected chickens, and Group 4 infected chicks). Group 2 rats were each infected with 1,000 T zimbabwensis first-stage larvae (L1) and Group 4 chicks were each infected with 1,700 L1 while Group 1 and 3 were used as uninfected control rats and chickens, respectively. Using a standardized post-prandial time, the rats were sacrificed on Days 2, 5, 7, and 10 post-infection and chicks on Days 2 and 5 post-infection. Results in rats showed a significant increase in intestinal pH (P < 0.05) in the anterior segment of the intestines at Day 5 post-infection compared with the uninfected controls and a decrease in pH (P < 0.05) in the posterior segment at Day 2 post-infection. Osmolality of the anterior segment of the small intestine increased significantly (P < 0.05) at Day 2 post-infection before declining at Day 5 post-infection while in the posterior section, osmolality significantly increased (P < 0.05) at Day 2 post-infection. In chickens, there was no significant difference (P < 0.05) in the level of intestinal pH in the anterior and posterior segments of the infected and control groups. Although there was an increase in osmolality levels in infected chickens at Day 2 and at Day 5 post-infection, it was not significant (P > 0.05). It may be concluded that in T zimbabwensis-infected rats, intestinal pH and osmolality are altered during developmental stages of the parasite and this alteration might be responsible for facilitating the establishment and survival of the parasite, while no significant changes were observed in infected chickens; this probably explains the poor or non-establishment of the parasite in chickens. Evaluation of Intestinal pH and Osmolality Levels in Rats (Rattus norvegicus) and Chickens (Gallus gallus) Experimentally Infected With Trichinella zimbabwensis Kudakwashe Magwedere, BVSc, MVSc1 Samson Mukaratirwa, DVM, MVSc, PhD2 1Faculty of Veterinary Science Department of Preclinical Veterinary Studies University of Zimbabwe Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe 2School of Biological and Conservation Sciences University of KwaZulu-Natal Durban, South Africa