Observations on the life-cycle ofSchistosoma margrebowieiand its possible interactions withS. leiperiin Zambia

Abstract
Natural infections of Schistosoma margrebowiei were found in Bulinus forskali group snails (B. forskali and B. scalaris) at Lochinvar National Park, Zambia. This is the first record of a natural snail host for this species. The most abundant host in the Park for S. margrebowiei and S. leiperi is the lechwe (Kobus leche). Examination of a small sample of lechwe revealed that animals less than one year old had pure infections of S. margrebowiei and those over five years old had S. leiperi only. It is suggested that these findings are related to the different habitats occupied by the snail hosts for the two parasites and the annual movements of the lechwe herds in response to the local flood cycle. The possibility of some cross-immunity between S. leiperi and S. margrebowiei is discussed.

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