P2RX7 and infection: In one study, where mice were infected intraperitoneally with tachyzoites of the type 2, avirulent ME49 strain of T. gondii, splenic parasite burdens in different mouse strains were in proportions consistent with their relative P2X7 receptor activity [54]; thus, P2X7 receptor knockout mice harboured more parasites than the parental C57BL/6J mice, whereas, in another study, using the same parasites and route of infection, no difference in parasite burden between receptor knockout mice and the parental strain was observed in vivo [56].