SCHISTOSOMA MANSONI CERCARIAL HOST LOCATION AND INFECTION UNDER SIMULATED NATURAL CONDITIONS IN EGYPT

This study was performed in water ditches under simulated natural conditions in Egypt to elucidate the effect of various environmental factors on Schistosoma mansoni cercarial host location and infection of the definitive host (using albino mice). Evaluation of these factors was dependent on both infection rate of exposed mice as well as the schistosome worm load under the same experimental conditions. The seasonal water temperature proved to be a very important factor and this was proven by the infection rate of mice and the worm load recovered were lower in January and April (16oC and 22oC midday water temperature) and much higher in July and October (29oC and 25oC). The daytime factor is similarly important as temperature illustrated by the schistosome infection of mice groups exposed at 8-10 am was much higher than in groups exposed between 1pm and 3pm (p<0.001). The greatest infection rate of mice and worm load were obtained when the shedding snails were close to the exposed group of mice. Both criteria increased with the increase of cercarial density in the water. The length of exposure period is also an extremely important factor for schistosome infection, being highest 87.5% (p<0.001) in3 hours exposure period. Infection rate was found to be 88.2% and 55.6% of shedding snails were located at water surface and midway to the bottom, respectively, and no infection occurred when located at the bottom. The schistosome infection of mice decreased in presence of increasing density of the floating plant Eichhornia crassipes in the ditch water, but low condensation of the submersed plant Ceratophyllum demersum appeared to have stimulating effect.