Infectivity and cercarial production of Indoplanorbis exustus related to variation of miracidial dose (1, 4, 10 or 20) with Schistosoma nasale and S. spindale from Sri Lanka were studied. The intermediate host-parasite relationships of the two schistosome species showed marked differences under the conditions of observation recorded in this study. Prepatent death rates (PDR) were on average higher for S. spindale (30%) than for S. nasale (10%). The size of the miracidial dose to which snails had been exposed had no effect on PDR. The infection rates (IR) were on average higher for S. nasale (41%) compared with S. spindale (27%). Highest IR occurred after exposure to 4 miracidia in S. nasale infections (79%) and after exposure to 10 miracidia in S. spindale infections (6O%). The highest daily average cercarial production per snail was recorded for S. nasale at a level of 4 miracidia (1311), and for S. spindale at a level of 10 miracidia (1615). At low level (1 or 4 miracidia) of exposure, I. exustus showed a better compatibility with S. nasale than with S. spindale. An opposite tendency was observed at higher levels (10 or 20 miracidia) of exposure. Unsuccessful infections of Lymnaea luteola with either S. nasale or S. spindale indicate that this species is not involved in transmission.

The effect of various concentrations of praziquantel at different time intervals post-treatment on the ultrastructure of Schistosoma margrebowiei using scanning and transmission electron microscopy has been examined. The major changes involved blebbing of the entire surface tegument of both sexes (although more marked in males) together with vacuolation of the basal membrane accompanied by the development of membraneous whorls. These effects were progressively more marked with increased concentration and time of exposure resulting in severe erosion of the tubercles and collapse of the sensory organelles. Exposure of the underlying tegumental tissue resulted and paralysis and contraction of the suckers and neck region was apparent. Disruption of the subtegumental musculature and the appearance of vacuolation and membraneous whorl formation were seen. The gastrodermis was similarly affected and the S4 cells of the vitelline gland showed protein disruption of the vitelline droplets. Host cells were seen adhering to the surface of the worms following drug treatment and the synergism between PZQ and the action of the hosts immune system has been discussed.

The cercariae of Schistosoma margrebowiei showed two peaks of emergence from Bulinus natalensis in a 12 h light/dark cycle. Peak emission occurred at 0700 h (one hour after the onset of light) and at 1900 h (one hour after the onset of darkness). Both peaks were of equal magnitude and were maintained during constant illumination indicating that the rhythm is innate. Delaying or advancing the timing of the dark period did not affect the timing of these two peaks. Following a five minute dark treatment elevation in cercarial output resulted irrespective of when the treatment was applied. Subjecting snails to various intensities of light only resulted in an elevation in output when a sudden change in intensity from 0 to 360 Lux or the reverse was applied. No response was seen to a gradual change in light intensity although the parasite could detect a change in light from 1 to 0 Lux. These responses appear to optimize the chances of host parasite contact.

The serum antibody response in golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) infected with the intestinal trematode Echinostoma caproni was examined with ELISA, SDS-PAGE and Western blot, and IFAT techniques. All methods showed that the hamsters responded slowly but developed a clear positive humoral response to the infection. In most hamsters, an antibody response to infection could not be detected earlier than 11–13 weeks after infection with 6 or 25 metacercariae, and responses were weak when compared to previous results from mice infected with the same parasite. IFAT with positive hamster sera on live juvenile E. caproni showed only fluorescence at the posterior tip, which is a different pattern from that seen using sera from infected mice, indicating a different response to antigens on the juvenile parasites by these two hosts. The results are discussed in relation to the limited selfcure and development of resistance which is observed in golden hamsters infected with E. caproni.

Fifty-nine of 60 (98%), 6-month-old male golden hamsters, Mesocricetus auratus, fed 15 (group A). 50 (group B), or 200 (group C) metacercarial cysts of Echinostoma caproni (Digenea: Echinostomatidae) were infected 7–34 days postexposure. The mean number of worms recovered in groups A, B and C were 9, 10, and 50, respectively. The percentage recovery was significantly different between group A (63%) and groups B (21%) and C (23%). The intestine was divided into three equal regions (I, II, III). Worms from group A were located in segments II and III of the small intestine whereas worms from groups B and C were distributed in all three segments. The body area, ovarian and testicular areas of worms from group A were greatest, followed in decreasing order by body and gonadal areas of worms from groups B and C. Echinostoma caproni eggs were found in the faeces of all the hamsters examined from groups A, B and C by days 9, 10 and 11, respectively. Physical damage occurred at the site of attachment of the echinostome. Pathological observations indicated the presence of enlarged lymphatic nodules with lymphocytes being the primary cellular infiltrate at the site of parasite attachment.

The infectivity of Diplostomum spathaceum (Digenea: Trematoda) cercariae to rainbow trout and the efficacy of the diplostomule migration to the lens following different routes of administration was examined. The optimum age of infectivity for cercariae was between 0–5 h after liberation from the snail and for intraperitoneally injected diplostomules, 5 h post-transformation in vitro through fish skin. After exposure of the entire fish body or head to cercariae, metacercariae first appeared in the lens at 5 h and their numbers gradually increased until 22 h. Following exposure of the tail region of rainbow trout to cercariae, metacercariae first appeared in the lens at 14 h. Significantly more metacercariae established in the lens of fish following exposure of the fish head compared with the tail region; 40% of penetrating cercariae reached the lens of fish following exposure of the head or entire body, 20% of cercariae or diplostomules injected either intraperitoneally, intramuscularly or intracardially reached the lens while only 5% of cercariae established as metacercariae following exposure of the tail region.

The existence of adult Schistosoma haematobium worm proteins (Sh31/32) homologous to the diagnostic Sm31/32 of S. mansoni is shown. Sm31/32 and Sh31/32, adsorbed on nitrocellulose and kept dry on the bench before immunoblot analysis, were antigenically stable for at least 4 years including storage for 17 months in tropical climates. The antigens react with patient sera in the absence of defined buffers under rather simple conditions (“humid chamber blot”). The results add to the use of these antigens for serodiagnosis of schistosomiasis in endemic areas.

The cercarial shedding of Schistosoma bovis and S. haematobium were studied in single and mixed infections in the snail host Bulinus truncatus. The two species displayed a distinctive diurnal cercarial emergence with an earlier shedding pattern for S. bovis than S. haematobium (the average emergence peaks were respectively at 0800 h and 1200 h). In mixed infections, each species kept its own cercarial shedding rhythm with no marked alterations. The cercarial emergence pattern is proposed as a new method to identify natural mixed infections in the snail intermediate hosts. The interactions between the two parasites are discussed.

For two years fortnightly malacological samplings were carried out to collect Lymnaea truncatula (Mollusca; Basommatophora) at five points in the upper and middle Porma river basin, León, Spain. The highest numbers of snails were collected in September, May and November. Of the 5486 molluscs examined, 11·41% harboured F. hepatica (Trematoda; Digenea) with an average intensity of 20·14. In general, the values of both infection prevalence and intensity increased with the size of the snails. It was in October when the highest figures for each parameter mentioned above were detected (18·73% and 28·48, respectively). The chi-square test showed statistically significant differences in relation to the infection prevalence among the groups of molluscs established according to: their length; the months in which they were collected; the sampling localities; monthly average ambient temperature; precipitation during the collection. Similarly, statistically significant differences were detected in the intensity of the infection among the groups of molluscs previously established, except for that based on the values of precipitation. Generally, parasites were found in the same snail at different stages of development. It seems that most mollusc infections occur in February–March and at the end of summer–beginning of autumn periods. The highest rate of rediae with mature cercariae ready to be shed were detected between September and December. Metacercariae in the grass samples were also observed at the end of autumn. For this reason, this period could be considered as the most suitable for infection of the definitive hosts to take place.

Frequent reports of haematuria among resettlers at Ibaro and Abule-titun located close to a newly constructed reservoir. 20 km north-west of Abeokuta. Ogun State, Nigeria. prompted a pre-control survey to assess age and sex distribution of urinary schistosomiasis in the communities. 210 persons were examined at Ibaro and 145 at Abule-titun between April 1988 and February 1989. Overall prevalence was about 80% in both villages, and all age and sex groups examined were affected. The pattern of infection in both villages was similar, prevalence being high in all age and sex groups and, unlike most endemic communities, the rate of infection was not significantly higher among the 5–14 year age groups. Intensity of infection was also high in all age and sex groups with mean range egg output of between 73±73 and 2016±3875 ova/10ml urine at Ibaro and between 231±122 and 1340±1786 ova/10ml urine at Abule-titun. This is attributed to an occupation-related high rate of human water contact in both villages.

The karyotype of Isthmiophora melis (Trematoda:Echinostomatidae) is described. The chromosome number in the diploid cell is 2n = 20. The absolute (La) and relative (Lr) lengths of the chromosomes, as well as the centromere position (Ic), are determined. The differences in length between the adjacent chromosomes in the ordered series are not great, with the exception of chromosome 1 which occupies 20.58% of the genome length. This chromosome is metacentric, with lightly stained and elongated centromere region with Giemsa staining. Chromosome 7 is submetacentric. Chromosomes 2 to 6 are defined as telo-subtelocentric, while chromosomes 8 to 10 are subtelo-submetacentric. The fundamental number of arms in the I. melis karyotype is NF-22.

The effects of water temperature on the ability of Diplostomum spathaceum miracida to infect and establish patent infections in Lymnaea peregra and L. stagnalis were investigated. Snails were infected over a range of temperatures (6–20°C) and kept thereafter at 20°C or were infected at 20°C and kept at either 14, 20, or 25°C. Infection success was determined after 8 weeks by either observing cercarial shedding or examining snail viscera for sporocysts. The establishment of miracidia declined at lower water temperatures despite maintenance for 8 weeks at 20°C while exposure of snails to miracidia at 20°C and maintenance at different temperatures had little apparent effect. Infection success under these conditions was related more to the numbers of miracidia to which the snails were exposed. However, under this latter experimental regime, the time taken for the infection to become patent clearly depended upon maintenance temperature.

Experiments were performed to study the effect of age and lifespan on the infection success of Diplostomum spathaceum miracidia. Specimens of Lymnaea peregra and L. stagnalis were individually exposed to single miracidia of D. spathaceum of different ages under conditions of constant illumination at 20°C. The life-span of the free-swimming miracidium of D. spathaceum is 24 h at 20°C. It was observed that as the miracidium ages, its ability to successfully infect snails declines rapidly.

Experimental infections of the marine topshell Gibbula umbilicalis with Lecithochirium furcolabiatum (Digenea: Hemiuroidea) have allowed the development of a model system which will enable further studies of the molluscan host response. The long-lived intertidal prosobranch host is easily maintained in the laboratory, and experimental infection rates of 98% were consistently achieved. The miracidium and mother sporocyst have been studied at both light and ultrastructural levels, providing the first account of the morphology of these stages in Hemiuridae. The ingested egg hatches within the host intestine, treatment with L-cysteine and alkaline pH stimulating miracidial emergence in vitro. The general body surface of the miracidium is devoid of spines or cilia, the latter being restricted to four plates near the anterior extremity. The miracidium swims actively prior to penetration of the gut wall, the sporocyst being released from the miracidial epidermal Coat within the haemocoel. Within 5 weeks of infection, the filamentous mother sporocyst Contains 1 to 3 oval germ balls, daughter sporocysts being recorded free within the digestive gland haemocoel 7 weeks later. Twenty three weeks after ingestion of eggs, the daughter sporocyst extends into the host gill filaments, containing cystophorous cercariae ready for emergence.

An acid phosphatase activity (APA; EC 3.1.3.2) was demonstrated in homogenates of adult Hymenolepis diminuta. The APA was soluble based on the observation that it did not sediment at 130 000 g. APA was partially purified using a combination of differential centrifugation, ammonium sulphate precipitation, chloroform extraction, and gel and fast-protein-liquid-chromatography. This combination of techniques resulted in a preparation with a specific activity approximately 500 times greater than the crude enzyme preparation. The temperature and pH optima of the partially purified APA were 44°C and pH 5·0. The enzyme appeared to be a monomer with a molecular weight of approximately 62 000. APA had a higher affinity for a greater activity towards aromatic than aliphatic phosphoesters and phosphoryl transferase activity was demonstrable using 1-butanol and ethylene glycol as acceptors. APA was inhibited significantly by sodium dodecyl sulphate, fluoride, molybdate and tartrate, but CuSO4 and Fast Garnet GBC were poor inhibitors. The precise cellular localization and function of this enzyme remains unknown since it possesses characteristics of both cytoplasmic and lysosomal APA's of other organisms.

Susceptibility and development of Clinostomum complanatum in the chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) have been studied. The progenetic metacercariae of C. complanatum developed into ovigerous worms in 3 days in the buccal cavity of the chicken and survived only 6–7 days in this experimental host. The susceptibility is influenced by the age, sex and breed/type of the host. Both percent susceptibility and recovery of the worms decreased with increase in the age of the host. The egg laying chickens were found to be least susceptible to the infection. Mature male chickens were more susceptible than the females. The single comb white Leghorn (SCWL) was found to be susceptible while the local type (LT) and the cross breed (SCWL×LT) were not susceptible to C. complanatum. The possible reasons for these variations have been discussed.

Scanning and transmission electron microscopical obervations were made on the tegument of excysted metacercariae and adults of the paramphistome. Zygocotyle lunata (Digenea: Trematoda). In accord with other paramphistomes studied, this species lacks spines and mitochondria in the tegumentary syncytium and associated cytons. The newly excysted metacercarie, which possessed relatively few tegumental papillae, were cylindrical in comparison to adults which were distinctly flat. The adults had large numbers of tegumental papillae in the region of the oral sucker and acetabulum.

The activities of selected enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism were measured in tetrathyridia of Mesocestoides corti and in adult females and males of Heterakis spumosa. When the species were compared, only lactate dehydrogenase and phosphoenolphyruvate carboxykinase activities were considerably higher in M. corti. Activities of other enzymes were higher in H. spumosa, with malate dehydrogenase activity being considerable so. In H. spumosa, enzyme activity was higher, and succinate dehydrogenase markedly so in males, when compared with females. Tetrathyridia aged 170 and 210 days show relatively stable malate and lactate dehydrogenase activities, and mice of ICR and BALB/c strains are suitable for the maintenance of tetrathyridia.

The cyst wall of Microphallus madrasensis resisted 6 N and 11·3 N hydrochloric acids (HCL) 36 N concentrated sulphuric acid (H2S04) and 0·35 M sodium hypochlorite. It was partially dissolved in 0·6 M sodium azide and completely dissolved in 16 N nitric acid (HNO3). An HCl hydrolysate of the cyst wall contained 10 amino acids viz. alanine, leucine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, lysine, histidine. phenylalanine. tyrosine. cystine and proline. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed the presence of a fast moving fraction which stained with periodic acid-Schiffs (PAS) reagent and toluidine blue was noticed in tris-glycine buffer soluble and methanol water soluble substances present in the cyst wall. Triton X-100 soluble substances present in the cyst wall revealed the presence of two slow-moving fractions stained only with PAS, and also a fast-moving fraction stained only with toluidine blue. Sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) soluble substances in the cyst wall revealed the presence of two fast-moving fractions which stained with PAS and toluidine blue. The slow-moving fractions are protein-bound carbohydrates. The fast-moving fractions obtained after fractionation with SDS are acid mucopolysaccharides or nucleoproteins whereas the single fraction (Triton X-100 soluble substances) which stained with toluidine blue appears to be a carbohydrate-free protein. The cyst wall of M. madrasensis also consisted of phospholipids and neutral lipids.