The Lesser Egyptian Gerbil (Gerbillus gerbillus) is a suitable host for the long-term propagation of Cryptosporidium andersoni.

ABSTRACT

We describe the course of infection of Cryptosporidium andersoni LI03, originally isolated from cattle, in outbred Gerbillus gerbillus (Lesser Egyptian Gerbil), Meriones unguiculatus (Mongolian gerbil), and Meriones tristrami (Tristram's jird). While both Meriones spp. partially cleared the infection and shed a low number of oocysts (less than 15,000 oocysts per gram (OPG)), chronic infection with a mean infection intensity reaching 200,000 OPG was observed in G. gerbillus. These data suggest that G. gerbillus can be used as a laboratory model for the long-term maintenance and study of C. andersoni without the need for host immunosuppression.