GB2340822A

GB2340822A - A container for parasites

Info

Publication number: GB2340822A
Application number: GB9818373A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gerald Christopher Coles
Original assignee: University of Bristol
Current assignee: University of Bristol
Priority date: 1998-08-21
Filing date: 1998-08-21
Publication date: 2000-03-01
Anticipated expiration: 2018-08-21
Also published as: GB2340822B; GB9818373D0

Abstract

A container is provided in which blood feeding parasites, such as fleas, are contained within a cavity 14, which is bounded by a mesh 10,12 which stops the parasite from escaping but does allow it to feed from a host animal. The container or mesh is deformable such that the flees can be crushed in order to ensure that they have taken a blood meal. Alternatively, The container may comprise a domed element and an annular member integrally connected by a hinge, the mesh covering the central aperture of the annular member, and means such as an adhesive 16 may be provided for attaching the container to the host animal.

Description

2340822 A CONTAMR FOR PARASITES, AND A METHOD OF USE THEREOF The present

invention relates to a container for holding parasites, such as blood feeding arthropoda, or insects such that they can be placed against a host animal to take a blood meal whilst secured within the container.

There are a number of instances where it is desirable to test the response of a host animal when challenged by a blood feeding parasite. An example of such a situation is when conducting allergy tests in response to flea bites. It is desirable to constrain the fleas such that, once the test has been completed, the fleas can be examined in order to ascertain that they have taken a blood meal from the host animal. It is known to entrap fleas within a test tube, the mouth of which is covered with a gauze, and then to hold the mouth of the test tube against the skin of the host animal. The fleas remain contained within the test tube but have to be extracted therefrom for examination.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a container for parasites, the container comprising a container body defining a cavity for containing at least one parasite, the cavity being closed by a porous element which prevents the or each parasite from escaping from the container but which allows part of the parasite to extend there through, and in which the container and/or porous element is deformable such that the or each parasite can be crushed whilst still in the container.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a container for parasites, comprising a container body defining a cavity for containing at least one parasite and a first porous membrane which prevents the parasite from escaping from the container but which allows a parasite to have contact with a body adjacent the membrane, and attachment means for attaching the container to the body.

Preferably the container has a body formed of the first and second mutually co-operating elements such that the parasite can be placed in one part of the container and entrained within the cavity when the cooperating elements of the container are brought together. The cooperating elements of the container may be individually formed, or may be formed 2 as a unitary item on either side of a flexible element which serves as a hinge. The first and second co-operating elements may be arranged to engage each other in a snap fit fashion in order to hold them securely together. However, other types of fastener, for example glue or staples may also be employed.

Preferably the porous membrane is a mesh. The size of the-mesh is chosen with reference to the parasite with which the container is to be used. The mesh is selected such that the parasite cannot escape from the container, but that a body part such as a mouth part or proboscis can extend through the mesh in'order that the parasite can feed.

Preferably the mesh is elastic such that the mesh can be deformed into the cavity of the container in order that the parasite can be crushed to reveal if it has had a blood meal.

Preferably the cavity has first and second opposed ends covered with mesh in order that the parasite can be viewed when it is placed adjacent the body. The body is typically the host animal but could be some other substrate if, for example, the container was being used to test the toxicity of a substance upon the parasite.

In an alternative arrangement, the cavity may be bounded on one side by a transparent wall or window and on the other side by the mesh in order that the activity of the parasite can be observed.

Preferably the attachment means is a layer of adhesive provided on a face of the container body such that the container can be attached to a host animal. Advantageously the adhesive is protected by a peel off layer such that the container is immediately ready for use merely by removing the peel off layer.

In a preferred embodiment, the container is generally disc shaped with a cylindrical cavity defined therein. The cavity is closed top and bottom by meshes. However, it should be appreciated that the geometrical shape of the container may be freely chosen. The container may, for example, comprise two elongate wall members held in a spaced apart manner by crushable spacers such that, once the container has been used, the wall members may be moved towards one another thereby crushing the parasites such that, once the walls are moved apart the parasites can be inspected in order to ensure that they have taken a 3 blood meal. As a further alternative, the walls which define the periphery of the container may themselves be crushable in order that the entire container can be crushed in order to crush the parasites.

The container may be manufactured in a pre-formed state with an aperture or passageway extending through a wall thereof such that the parasites can be delivered into the pre-formed container via the aperture or passageway. Thus a delivery pipe may be pushed through the aperture or passageway and the parasites may be sucked or blown into the container. The aperture or passageway is advantageously provided with means for preventing the escape of the parasites once they have been placed within the container. Suitable escape inhibiting means may include resilient flaps or fingers which effectively form one way valves thereby closing, or at least partially blocking the orifice or passageway so as to prevent the escape of the parasite. As a further alternative, the orifice or passageway may be closed by a cap or adhesive label once the container is loaded.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of testing a host animal's response to a parasite, comprising the steps of placing a parasite in a container according to a first aspect of the present invention, attaching the container to the host animal such that the host animal and parasite come into contact, and removing the container and crushing the parasite while still contained therein in order to ensure that the parasite has had a blood feed.

It is thus possible to provide a simple to use and inexpensive container for use in, for example, allergy tests.

The present invention will further be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a container constituting a first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a cross section along the line A - A' of Figure 1; and 4 Figure 3 is a cross section through a container constituting a further embodiment of the present invention.

Figures 1 and 2 show a first embodiment of the present invention. A container, indicated generally as 2 comprises a annular wall 4 formed from first and second mutually co-operating annular members 6 and 8, respectively, which engage together to form the container. Each annular member 6 and 8 carries a mesh 10 and 12 which, in the finished container, co-operate with the wall 4 to define a cavity 14 in which one or more parasites are enclosed. As shown in Figure 2, one of the wall members, for example the second wall member 8, also has a layer of adhesive 16 thereon for securing the container 2 to a host animal. The adhesive 16 is selected so as to be a low allergy adhesive and may be protected by a peel off tab (not shown) such that the container is immediately ready for use once the peel off tab has been removed. The mesh 12 is selected such that its pores are sufficiently big in order to enable the parasite within the cavity 14 to feed through the mesh so as to extract blood from the host animal to which the container is attached. The mesh 10 is, for convenience, selected to be the same as the mesh 12.

In use, the container is supplied in an open state. Advantageously the first and second wall elements 6 and 8 are hingedly attached together. One of the elements, for example element 8, is held over a air pump which sucks air through the mesh 12. The parasites, for example fleas indigenous to a particular country, can then be placed onto the mesh 12 and are held against the mesh by the airflow. Once the desired number of parasites have been placed on the mesh 12 the element 6 can then be placed above the element 8. The elements fit together in a snap fit fashion such that the container cannot be reopened. The container is then immediately available for use. The container is relatively small and is suitable for being posted to a user for use within a few days. The user may then remove the peel off strip in order to expose the adhesive 16 such that the container can be attached to the bare flesh of a host animal (which may include a human). The parasite within the cavity 14 may then take a blood meal from the host by extending its mouth parts through the pores of the mesh 12. Once the parasite is fed, the container is removed from the host. The meshes 10 and 12 are advantageously flexible and elastic such that they can be brought together to squash the parasite within the cavity 14 and to reveal whether it has taken a blood meal. The user can then observe the host animal to see if an allergic reaction has occurred.

Figure 3 shows an alternative embodiment of the container. The container comprises a disc 30 with a central portion omitted therefrom so as to form an aperture which is then closed by a mesh 12 which may be adhered to the disc 30. A flexible hinge 34 extends from the periphery of the disc 30 and hinges it to a second disc 36 which carries a domed element 38. The domed element 38, the disc 36, the hinge 34 and the disc 30 may all be integrally formed from a suitable plastics material. Furthermore, the plastics may be chosen to be transparent such that a user can observe a parasite contained in a cavity 40 defined by the dome 38 and the mesh 12. As before, the disc 30 may be placed above an air pump and the parasite loaded onto the mesh 12 and held thereon by suction. The disc 36 is provided with an adhesive layer which is advantageously protected by a peel off strip such that once the peel off strip is removed the disc 36 and dome attached thereto can be folded over and adhered to the disc 30. Thus the parasite is then constrained within the cavity 40. The disc 30 also carries an adhesive layer 16 as described herein above.

After the parasite has fed, it can be crushed either by deforming the mesh 12 so as to lie against the dome 38 or by crushing the dome 38 against the mesh 12. The crush resistance of the dome 38 can be controlled by selecting the material type and thickness used to form it. The container may also include tabs (not shown) extending from the disc 30 in order to facilitate manipulation of the container.

It is thus possible to provide a container for containing blood feeding parasites which allows the parasite to feed and which also allows the parasite to be sacrificed in order to determine whether it has fed.

Claims

6 CLAIMS

1. A container for parasites, the container comprising a container body defining a cavity for containing at least one parasite, the cavity being closed by a porous element which prevents the or each parasite from escaping from the container but which allows part of the parasite to extend through the porous element, and in which at least one of the container and the porous element is deformable such that the or each parasite can be crushed whilst still in the container.

2. A container as claimed in claim 1, in which the container further includes an adhesive on a surface thereof such that the container can be attached to a host animal.

3. A container as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the container body comprises first and second co-operating elements such that at least one parasite can be placed within the cavity and the co-operating elements brought into engagement so as to seal the at least one parasite in the cavity.

4. A container as claimed in claim 3, in which the first and second cooperating elements are hingedly attached to each other.

5. A container as claimed in claim 3 or 4, in which the first and second co-operating elements mechanically inter engage to hold them to each other.

6. A container as claimed in claim 3 or 4 in which the first and second co-operating elements adhere to one another.

7. A container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the walls of the container are deformable so as to crush the or each parasite within the cavity.

8. A container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the porous element is a mesh.

9. A container as claimed in claim 8, in which the mesh is made of plastics.

10. A container as claimed in claim 8 or 9, in which the mesh is deformable such that it can be pushed into the cavity to enable the parasite to be crushed.

7

11. A porous container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the cavity is bounded by a transparent wall or window.

12. A container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the cavity is bounded on opposed sides thereof by meshes.

13. A container for parasites comprising a container body defining a cavity for containing at least one parasite and a first porous membrane which prevents the parasite from escaping from the container but which allows a parasite to have contact with a body adjacent the membrane, and attachment means for attaching the container to the body.

14. A method for testing a host animal's response to a parasite, comprising the steps of placing a parasite in a container according to a first aspect of the present invention, attaching the container to the host animal such that the host animal and parasite come into contact, and removing the container and crushing the parasite while still contained therein in order to ensure that the parasite has had a blood feed.

15. A container substantially as herein before described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

16. A container substantially as herein before described with reference to Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.

17. A container as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 13, 15, or 16 containing at least one flea.