The Susceptibility of the Rodents,Gerbillus pyramidum and Gerbillus gerbillus,to Experimental Tsutsugamushi Infection (Scrub Typhus) ∗

Abstract

Summary

Experimental evidence indicates that the two rodents, Gerbillus gerbillus and Gerbillus pyramidum are readily susceptible to large doses of scrub typhus rickettsiæ. One hundred percent of the animals succumbed to the disease when inoculated by the intraperitoneal, subcutaneous, or intravenous route. Smears of the peritoneal and pleural exudates showed varying numbers of minute phomorphic rickettsiæ within the cytoplasm of the cells. It was found that a much higher percentage of successful transfers resulted from rabbit-to-gerbille than from rabbit-to-rabbit passages. For this reason gerbilles were found to be much more useful both as for certainty of infection and as a richer source of infectious material for further passage than rabbits. They are suitable substitute animals in the absence of a supply of white mice.