SUSCEPTIBILITY OF FRESHWATER SNAILS TO THE AMPHISTOME CALICOPHORON MICROBOTHRIUM AND THE INFLUENCE OF THE SPECIES ON SUSCEPTIBILITY OF BULINUS TROPICUS TO SCHISTOSOMA HAEMATOBIUM AND SCHISTOSOMA MATTHEEI INFECTIONS

Abstract
The susceptibility of Bulinus tropicus, B. globosus, Biomphalaria pfeifferi, Lymnaea natalensis, and Melanoides tuberculata to Calicophoron microbothrium was examined. Bulinus tropicus had the highest prevalence (65.0%), followed by B. pfeifferi (37.5%), B. globosus (6.8%), and M. tuberculata (5.9%). Lymnaea natalensis was refractory to infection. Bulinus tropicus snails infected with C. microbothrium alone or coinfected with either Schistosoma haematobium or S. mattheei 0, 7, 14, and 21 days after exposure to C. microbothrium produced C. microbothrium cercariae only.