Susceptibility of Wild Mammals to Infection by Schistosoma mansoni

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Abstract
Susceptibility of 68 wild mammals from 14 species to experimental Schistosoma mansoni infection was judged from the number of worms recovered and their location in the host, presence of eggs in the feces and various organs, viability of recovered eggs and the infectivity of miracidia for Australorbis glabratus, the snail host. The susceptibility did not always follow the phylogenetic criteria. The Marmota monax, wood-chuck; Microtus pennsylvanicus, meadow vole; and Peromyscus leucopus, white-footed mouse, were especially susceptible to infection. The Sciurus carolinensis, gray squirrel; Myocaster coypus, nutria; and Didelphis marsupialis, opossum became infected with a relatively large number of worms but only a few viable eggs were produced. Only a small number of stunted worms developed in the Procyon lotor, raccoon; Tamias straitus, chipmunk; Rattus norvegicus, house rat; Zapus hudsonius, meadow jumping mouse; Sylvilagus floridanus, eastern cottontail; and Mephitis mephitis, striped skunk, but no eggs were passed in the feces. No infection occurred in the Vulpes fulva, red fox; and Ondatra zibethicus, muskrat.

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