The effect of variation in miracidial exposure dose on laboratory infections of Ornithobilharzia turkestanicum in Lymnaea gedrosiana

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Abstract
The laboratory infection of Lymnaea gedrosiana with 1,2,5,10 and 20 miracidia of Ornithobilharzia turkestanicum, resulted in infection rates of 54.5%, 57.1%, 62.5%, 84.0% and 100% respectively, with a prepatent period of 18–21 days.The numbers of cercariae shed daily by single snails exposed to one or 2 miracidia were significantly lower than from those exposed to 5,10 or 20 miracidia.Few cercariae were shed during the early patent period, but the number increased with the duration of infection. All infected snails died at the peak of cercarial shedding, and no infected snails survived more than 60 days after exposure to miracidia. The differences between the mean life-span of infected snails and non-infected snails in the control group were statistically significant (P < 0.001).