Effect of cortisone upon Ancylostoma caninum infection in albino mice

Abstract

The administration of cortisone in daily doses of 75 mg/kg subcutaneously to albino mice increased susceptibility to A. caninum infection, perhaps by suppression of immunity. Pre-infection treatment with cortisone did not influence susceptibility to infection more than treatment started on the day of infection. The average percentage of larvae recovered from the cortisone-treated mice was significantly greater than that of untreated control mice after 5 days of infection. Of all organs examined, the maximum numbers of larvae were obtained from lungs of both the test and control groups of mice for a noticeable period, the former group showing considerably higher recovery than the latter from the 3rd day till 10 days after infection. The mice, after cortisone treatment, did not provide a satisfactory medium to A. caninum larvae for further development even at 14 days after infection, indicating a poor host-parasite adaptation.