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Molluscs interfering with the capacity of Fasciola hepatica miracidia to infect Lymnaea truncatula

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

Niels Ørnbjerg Christensen
Affiliation:
The Danish Agricultural and Veterinary Research Council Parasitological Research Group, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Bülowsvej 13, DK-1870 Copenhagen V, Denmark
Peter Nansen
Affiliation:
The Danish Agricultural and Veterinary Research Council Parasitological Research Group, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Bülowsvej 13, DK-1870 Copenhagen V, Denmark
Flemming Frandsen
Affiliation:
Danish Bilharziasis Laboratory, Jcegersborg Allé 1 D, DK-2920 Charlottenlund, Denmark

Extract

Fasciola hepatica miracidia labelled with radioselenium were used to study aspects of their host-finding capacity by determining radioactivity subsequently taken up by exposed ‘target’ snails (Lymnaea truncatula). Possible interfering effects exercised by a number of non-host snails and bivalves were examined in linear test channels. The infection rate (radioactivity) among ‘target’ snails was markedly lowered when non-host Lymnaea species (L. pereger, L. palustris, L. stagnalis) were interposed as ‘decoys’. The prosobranch Bithynia tentaculata and the bivalve Sphaeriwm corneum exhibited a slight decoy effect whereas pulmonate species like Anisus vortex, Gyraulus albus, Planorbis planorbis, Physa fontinalis did not interfere with miracidial host-finding.

Other experiments showed that miracidia are more strongly attracted towards L. truncatula than L. pereger. Miracidia are not able to penetrate intact egg clusters of L. truncatula.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1976

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References

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