Some observations on the variation of virulence and response to chemotherapy of strains of entamoeba histolytica in rats

Abstract

White rats may be infected readily by strains of E. histolytica of human origin. Those strains coming from cases with acute relapsing conditions are highly virulent while those from chronic carriers show a great variability in virulence. Such induced infections lasted about 9 wks. , but could be controlled through treatment with emetine; larger and more frequent doses were needed to control the more virulent strains. Carbarsone, diodoquin, and chiniofon also controlled such infections. No strains of E. histolytica were found to be specificially emetine-resistant. White rats are a more satisfactory laboratory host than are kittens or puppies in that their reaction to drug therapy is much more like that of man, and findings developed through study of laboratory-induced in-fections can more successfully be transferred to the treatment of human cases of amebiasis.