Evidence for a parasite-mediated inhibition of abomasal acid secretion in sheep infected with Ostertagia leptospicularis.

The acid secretory capacity of the abomasal mucosa was studied in sheep experimentally infected with Ostertagia leptospicularis. The acidity of the abomasal contents, permanently recorded by a pH probe located inside the abomasum, decreased markedly to mean levels between pH 5 and 6. Subcutaneous administration of histamine or carbachol successfully stimulated acid secretion (pH 3.4). The results indicate that the abomasal mucosa harboured a population of functional parietal cells which were also identified immunohistochemically (H(+)/K(+)-ATPase). Ultrastructural investigation before stimulation revealed that the majority of these cells was in a resting state. Despite high serum gastrin levels, the acid secretion was blocked either at the level of the parietal cell or the enterochromaffin-like cell by an unknown factor, possibly mediated by the parasites. This is the first report of a parietal cell dysfunction associated with a nematode infection in the abomasum. It is suggested that the parasites induce changes in their environment which favour their survival and/or increase their reproduction. Copyright 2000 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.