Preparing eugregarine parasites and their cricket host Acheta domesticus as a model for gregarine infection studies

Abstract

The increasing global demand for house crickets (Acheta domesticus) necessitates effective health measures. Despite their abundance, the effects of gregarines on these hosts remain underexplored. We present a method for controlled gregarine infection and maintenance of gregarine-free cricket populations. This system, adapted from prior work, is essential for experiments on gregarine infection dynamics, providing insights into parasite evolution and host-parasite interactions within the Apicomplexa group. This protocol includes rearing and maintenance of gregarine-free cricket populations for experimental purposes, gregarine production for oocyst solution and cricket infection, and gregarine infection assessment.