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Title: FRENKELIA MICROTI INFECTION IN A CHINCHILLA (CHINCHILLA LANIGER) IN THE UNITED STATES

Author
item Dubey, Jitender
item CLARK, T - NAVAL MED CENTER, CA
item YANTIST, D - ARMED FORCES INST, DC

Submitted to: Journal of Parasitology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/1/2000
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Parasites of the genus Frenkelia are single-celled parasites of rodents, small mammals and birds. Rodents become infected by ingesting feces of infected birds and birds become infected by eating rodent tissues. Scientists at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center and the U.S. Naval Medical Center, San Diego, California report for the first time Frenkelia infection in the brain of a chinchilla and suggest that the same parasite causes hepatis in chinchillas. The results will be of interest to biologists, parasitologists, and pathologists.

Technical Abstract: A Frenkelia microti tissue cyst was found in the brain of a chinchilla (Chinchilla laniger) used for biomedical research. This is the first report of Frenkelia infection in this animal in the United States.