The mechanisms affecting the arrested development of gastrointestinal helminths in rabbits (O. cuniculus)

Many parasitic helminths have a unique adaptation to survival called arrested development (hypobiosis). This allows the helminths to arrest it biological functions and hide in the mucosa lining of the digestive tract until conditions are optimal. The hypothesis being testing in this experiment is to determine if the arrestment of the parasites G. strigosum and T. retortaeformis in the wild European rabbit (O. cuniculus) is caused by climate, immune response, or other factors.

Contact

  Jason Hill
  ecologyservice@psu.edu