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 withOstertagia 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.