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In this study, the in vitro effects of amodiaquine (AQ) monotherapy on the egg output of paired adult Schistosoma mansoni worms and their survival during in vitro culture were assessed. In addition, the gross morphological alterations of male and female worms caused by AQ were visually observed under a dissecting microscope. AQ significantly reduced the daily egg output of paired adult S. mansoni worms following incubation for 14 days at 1-5 μg/ mL, but not at 0.5 μg/mL, compared with the control group. AQ also reduced the survival of male and female worms at concentrations of 2 and 5 μg/mL, respectively. Moreover, exposure to 5 μg/mL AQ caused severe swelling and/or localisation of black content in the body of all male and female worms within one or two days of incubation; subsequently, shrinkage in the male worms and elongation in the female worms were observed. The initial morphological alterations caused by AQ occurred along the intestinal tract of the male and female worms. To our knowledge, this is the first study to report not only the efficacy of AQ at concentrations lower than 5 μg/mL on paired adult S. mansoni worms, but also the effects of AQ on the intestinal tracts of worms in in vitro culture., Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, 108(2), pp.192-196; 2013

It has become difficult in recent years to conduct the direct feeding of mosquitoes on animals because of ethical considerations related to animal experimentation. Thus, the artificial feeding of mosquitoes on blood meals is an important technique in studies on the oral infection of mosquitoes to agents. Since Rutledge et al. (1964) devised the artificial membrane-feeding technique, several artificial membrane-feeding methods have been developed to increase the feeding rates of mosquitoes on blood meals. The purpose of the present study is to develop a simple and convenient device for the artificial feeding of mosquitoes. We designed a device using Kimwipe®, a coverglass, the lid of a plastic dish and a 50 ml Erlenmeyer flask. The efficacy was assessed by the infection rate of mosquitoes to Brugia pahangi microfilariae (MF) derived from the peritoneal cavity of Mongolian jirds. Immediately after the feeding of mosquitoes on MF by the new device, the MF infection rate of mosquitoes was 50 - 81%. On day 14 post-feeding, 51 - 94% of mosquitoes harbored third-stage infective larvae. The components needed to construct the device for artificial feeding of mosquitoes are generally available in laboratories. Furthermore, no elaborate modification of materials is necessary in making the feeding device. Therefore, this simple and convenient artificial feeding device promises to be applicable for experimental infection of mosquitoes not only with B. pahangi MF but also with other agents such as malaria and viruses.

The break of the eggshell formed by water- and praziquantel (PZQ)-induced hatching of Schistosoma mansoni eggs was observed by scanning electron microscopy. The break most frequently formed on the long axis of the eggshell opposite the spine, and less frequently along spine side, parallel or oblique to the long axis of the lateral side of the egg-shell. An outwardly-curled lip of shell lined the external margins of the hatching orifice. The shell itself was of uniform thickness and fairly smooth. No significant difference was observed in the position breaks between water- and PZQ-hatched eggs. However, PZQ hatching produced smaller hatching orifices and the miracidium frequently failed to escape., 熱帯医学 Tropical medicine 34(1). p9-14, 1992

The difference in the recovery rate of Brugia pahangi and reaction of peritoneal cells among the 5 strains of mice are described in the present study. When intraperitoneal infection was used, the recovery rates at 2 weeks after infection in male mice were 1.8, 9.1, 1.7, 17.0 and 2.3% in C3H/He, C57BL/6, BALB/c ICR and ddy, respectively. The recovery rates in femal mice were 6.8, 3.7, 4.8, 10.8 and 2.4% in C3H/He, C57BL/6, BALB/c, ICR and ddy, respectively. There was a significant difference between males and females in the recovery rates of C3H/He and C57BL/6 (P

The difference in the recovery rate of Brugia pahangi and reaction of peritoneal cells among the 5 strains of mice are described in the present study. When intraperitoneal infection was used, the recovery rates at 2 weeks after infection in male mice were 1.8, 9.1, 1.7, 17.0 and 2.3% in C3H/He, C57BL/6, BALB/c ICR and ddy, respectively. The recovery rates in femal mice were 6.8, 3.7, 4.8, 10.8 and 2.4% in C3H/He, C57BL/6, BALB/c, ICR and ddy, respectively. There was a significant difference between males and females in the recovery rates of C3H/He and C57BL/6 (P, 熱帯医学 Tropical medicine 31(3). p125-129, 1989