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Experimental infections of two South American lymnaeids (Lymnaea neotropica and L. viatrix var. ventricosa) with Paramphistomum daubneyi were carried out to determine if these snail species could sustain larval development of this digenean and, if so, to specify their potential for cercarial production. A French population of Galba truncatula infected and raised according to the same protocol served as controls. In both experiments, prevalence of P. daubneyi infections in snails did not significantly differ from each other. In snail groups evaluated for cercarial shedding (first experiment), a significantly lower number of shed cercariae was noted for L. neotropica, while those from G. truncatula and L. v. ventricosa did not differ significantly from each other. Dissection of infected snails at day 65 post-exposure at 20°C (second experiment) found significantly lower burdens of P. daubneyi rediae and cercariae in the bodies of L. neotropica than in those of G. truncatula and L. v. ventricosa. Compared to total cercarial production observed in dissected snails, the percentage of cercariae which exited from snails was 75.6% for G. truncatula, 21.6% for L. neotropica, and 91.4% for L. v. ventricosa. This last species seems to be a good candidate for metacercarial production of P. daubneyi., Des infestations expérimentales de deux limnées sud-américaines (Lymnaea neotropica et L. viatrix var. ventricosa) avec Paramphistomum daubneyi ont été réalisées pour déterminer si ces espèces peuvent assurer le développement larvaire de ce Digène et, dans l’affirmative, pour préciser leur potentiel dans la production cercarienne. Les témoins sont constitués par une population française de Galba truncatula infestée et élevée selon le même protocole. Dans les deux expériences, les prévalences de l’infestation par P. daubneyi chez les mollusques sont proches les unes des autres. Chez les groupes suivis pour les émissions cercariennes (première expérience), le nombre de cercaires émises est significativement plus faible chez L. neotropica, tandis que les chiffres notés chez G. truncatula et L. v. ventricosa ne présentent pas de différence significative. Si les mollusques infestés sont disséqués au 65ème jour post-exposition à 20 °C (seconde expérience), les charges rédienne et cercarienne trouvées dans le corps des L. neotropica sont significativement plus faibles que celles notées chez G. truncatula et L. v. ventricosa. Par rapport à la production cercarienne totale chez les mollusques disséqués, le pourcentage de cercaires qui sont émises est de 75,6 % chez G. truncatula, 21,6 % chez L. neotropica et de 91,4 % chez L. v. ventricosa. Cette dernière espèce semble être un bon candidat pour la production métacercarienne de P. daubneyi., Centro de Diagnóstico e Investigaciones Veterinarias

Four freshwater pulmonate species (Lymnaea ovata, L. stagnalis, Physa acuta, Planorbis leucostoma)were living in several watercress beds known for their relationships with human cases of fasciolosis, whereas L. truncatula was never found. The aims of these studies were to determine the prevalence of natural infections with Fasciola hepatica in snails and to verify if these species might ensure the full larval development of this trematode (with cercarial shedding] when they were experimentally subjected to F. hepatica only, or to co-infections with an other trematode species. Investigations were so carried out in six snail populations living in watercress beds (including three for P. acuta) and in four others originating from three brooks or a pond (as controls). Snails naturally infected with F. hepatica were found in two watercress beds inhabited by L. ovata (prevalence of infection: 1.4 %) and P. leucostoma (0.1 %), respectively. The L. ovata from the watercress bed could be infected at a higher size than those from the control population and the prevalence of this infection was greater in the bed population. Similar findings were noted for L. stagnalis. Despite single or dual infections, the results obtained with the four populations of P. acuta were unsuccessful. In contrast, the co-infections of young P. leucostoma with Paramphistomum daubneyi and F. hepatica resulted in the shedding of some F. hepatica cercariae. According to the authors, the occurrence of fasciolosis in these watercress beds would be the consequence of frequent natural encounters between parasite and snails (L. ovata, L. stagnalis), or of co-infections with P. daubneyi and F. hepatica (P. leucostoma). In watercress beds only colonized by P. acuta, a lymnaeid species would have ensured the larval development of F. hepatica but it would have been eliminated by P. acuta, as this last species was known to be invasive and could colonize open drainage ditches on siliceous soil.

International audience; Experimental infections of Galba truncatula (two populations) with Fasciola hepatica or Paramphistomum daubneyi were carried out to study the effect of water temperature changes (3 h at a mean of 12 °C every week) on cercarial shedding during the patent period. The results were compared with those of control snails infected according to the same protocol and always maintained at 20 °C. Compared to controls, a significant increase in the number of cercariae-shedding snails, a significantly longer patent period and significantly greater cercarial production were noted in temperature-challenged snails, regardless of the type of digenean infection. In contrast, the number of incompletely formed metacercariae was significantly higher in temperature-challenged snails than in controls. Incompletely formed metacercariae of F. hepatica consisted of cysts whose colour remained whitish after shedding (25.4% for temperature-challenged snails) or whose dome was flattened after encystment (74.6%). Those of P. daubneyi were totally dark brown or blackish after formation. These incomplete metacercariae might originate from young differentiating cercariae within the snail body (F. hepatica) or from cercariae which died just after encystment (P. daubneyi). The use of regular temperature changes for snails infected with F. hepatica or P. daubneyi must be monitored carefully during collection of metacercariae to select completely formed cysts for infecting definitive hosts.

Des expositions individuelles mono- et bimiracidiennes de Galba truncatula avec Fasciola hepatica (deux groupes) ou avec Paramphistomum daubneyi (deux groupes) ont ete realisees dans les conditions du laboratoire afin de comparer la production parasitaire chez des limnees qui emettent des cercaires (mollusques EC) par rapport a celle trouvee chez des individus parasites mais sans emission (limnees NEC). Les limnees vivantes et les cercaires independantes ont ete comptees chez les mollusques des deux categories apres leur dissection a intervalles reguliers (a 24°C). Dans les quatre groupes, les nombres de redies et de cercaires independantes notes au 75 eme jour post-exposition (F. hepatica) ou au 85 eme jour (P. daubneyi) sont significativement plus eleves chez les mollusques EC que chez les NEC. Chez ces derniers, le nombre de cercaires ne presente pas de variation significative du 45 eme au 75 eme jour (F. hepatica: les deux groupes) ou du 55 eme au 85 eme jour (P. daubneyi, infestations individuelles a un seul miracidium) alors qu'il decroit de maniere significative lorsque la duree de l'infestation augmente (P. daubneyi, infestations a deux miracidiums). Chez les limnees NEC, la presence de cercaires independantes trop nombreuses dans le corps du mollusque (celui-ci ne permet le developpement que d'un nombre donne de redies) bloquerait rapidement le developpement des redies et la differenciation intra-redienne des autres cercaires. La diminution numerique des cercaires de P. daubneyi chez les mollusques NEC (groupe a deux miracidiums) pourrait etre due a la lyse des nouvelles cercaires juste formees, probablement en raison d'un manque d'aliments disponibles pour celles-ci dans le corps du mollusque.