Transplantation of Larval Schistosoma mansoni from Infected to Uninfected Snails

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Abstract
Schistosoma mansoni was transferred from infected Australorbis glabratus to normal A. glabratus by transplanting parasitized tissues or parasites into the cephalopedal sinus. Transplants of liver fragments from donors with mature infections resulted in erratic low-level cercarial emergence from recipients during the next 2 weeks; thereafter cercarial emergence rose sharply and became sustained. Cercariae of the early phase were apparently those already present in the transplant, while those of the later phase apparently derived from young daughter sporocysts which migrated from the transplant to the recipient''s liver. Transplantation of tentacles bearing mother sporocysts resulted in sustained cercarial emergence after an incubation period of about 2 weeks; mature daughter sporocysts, producing cercariae, were found in the livers of recipients. Similar findings occurred when mature mother sporocysts were ruptured and the liberated immature daughter sporocysts were transplanted. Snails infected by transplants were susceptible to infection by miracidia which developed into mother sporocysts containing viable offspring. Transplanted daughter sporocytes produced infection in 77% of recipient A. glabratus; infection rates varied from 0% to 96% among 8 other strains or species of snails receiving similar transplants.