Experimental ancylostomiasis in Swiss albino mice: adrenal and thyroid histopathology.

Remarkable hypertrophic changes were observed in the adrenal and thyroid glands of male mice after 7 to 16 days of infection with the filariform larvae of Ancylostoma caninum, but not in females. The adrenal gland revealed enormous enlargement of cells in the zonae glomerulosa, fasciculata and medulla, and also the formation of big vacuoles in the glomerular zone, whereas the thyroid gland showed distinctly hypertrophied follicular epithelium with marked acolloidal condition and follicular mass formation. These changes in the cellular diameter were highly significant (P greater than 0.001 to less than 0.005). The possible reasons for hyperactivity of these glands are discussed.