Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7fkt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-01T01:20:10.567Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The effects of Fasciola hepatica on Lymnaea truncatula

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

J. K. M. Hodasi
Affiliation:
Zoology Department, University of Bristol, Bristol

Extract

Among the functional changes observed in L. truncatula infected with F. hepatica were those of growth, reproduction and mortality. For the first 3 weeks after infection there was no difference between the growth of infected and uninfected groups of snails. Thereafter there was a temporary accelerated growth which occurred between the fourth and seventh weeks after infection. The onset of this period of rapid growth in the different age groups of infected snails coincided with the time of migration of the rediae into the hepatopancreas.Of more significance was the influence of infection on the reproduction of the snail. There was a sharp decline in oviposition 2–3 weeks after infection, followed by a complete cessation of egg production at the end of the fifth week. Once oviposition ceased, it was not resumed and there was no self-cure.Contrary to general belief, infected groups of L. truncatula have been found to live longer than the uninfected controls. With isolated snails, however, there was a tendency for the uninfected snails to live longer than the infected ones. The possible interpretation of the discrepancies between isolated and mass cultured snails are discussed.The hepatopancreas and the gonad (ovotestis) were the two structures directly affected by the infection. Establishment of the rediae in the hepatopancreas invariably resulted in parasitic castration.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1972

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bishop, O. N., (1966). Statistics for Biology. London, Longmans, Green and Co. Ltd.Google Scholar
Cheng, T. C., (1967). Marine molluscs as hosts for symbioses. In Advances in Marine Biology (ed. Russel, F. S.). London: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Chernin, E., (1960). Infections of Australorbis glabratus with Schistosoma mansoni Under bacteriologically sterile conditions. Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine 105, 292–6.Google Scholar
Garnault, P., (1889). La castration parasitaire chez Helix aspersa. Bulletin Scientifique de la France et de la Belgique 2, 137–42.Google Scholar
Joose, J., (1964). Dorsal bodies and dorsal neuro-secretory cells of the cerebral ganglion of Lymnaea stagnalis L. Archives neerlandaises de Zoologie 16, 1108.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kendall, S. B., (1953). The life-history of Lymnaea truncatula under laboratory conditions. Journal of Helminthology 27, 1728.Google Scholar
McClelland, G., & Bourns, T. K. R., (1969). Effect of Trichobilharzia ocellata on growth, reproduction and survival of Lymnaea stagnalis. Experimental Parasitology 24, 137–46.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Najarian, H. H., (1961). Egg-laying capacity of the snail Bulinus truncatus in relation to infection with Schistosoma haematobium. Texas Reports on Biology and Medicine 19, 327–31.Google ScholarPubMed
Pan, C., (1963). Some biochemical and immunological aspects of host-parasite relationships; generalised and focal tissue responses in the snail, Australorbis glabratus, infected with Schistosoma mansoni. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 113, 475–85.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pan, C., (1965). Studies on the host-parasite relationship between Schistosoma mansoni and Australorbis glabrabus. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 14, 931–76.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Paulini, E., & Pellegrino, J., (1957). Influence of infection of Schistosoma mansoni on survival of Australorbis glabratus to copper sulphate. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 51, 283–4.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rees, G., (1931). Some observations and experiments on the biology of larval trematodes. Parasitology 23, 428–40.Google Scholar
Roberts, E. W., (1950). Studies on the life cycle of Fasciola hepatica (Linnaeus) and of its snail host, Limnaea (Galba) truncatula (Muller) in the field and under controlled conditions in the laboratory. Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology 44, 187206.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sturrock, B. M., (1966). The influence of infection with Schistosoma mansoni on the growth rate and reproduction of Biomphalaria pfeifferi. Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology 60, 187–97.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wesenberg-Lund, G., (1934). Contributions to the development of the Trematoda Digenea. Part II. The biology of the freshwater Cercariae in Danish freshwaters. Kongelige Danske Videnskabernes Selskabs Skriffer 5, 1223.Google Scholar
Weight, C. A., (1966). The pathogenesis of helminths of Mollusca. Helminthological Abstracts 35, 207–24.Google Scholar