Verification of the antagonism between larvae of Schistosoma mansoni and those of other Digenea in Biomphalaria tenagophila, a planorbid molusc from a natural breeding ground in the region of Campinas, SP, Brazil

Abstract

The objective of the present work is to study the development of S. mansoni larvae in snails found naturally infected by other digenetic trematode larvae. It was found that S. mansoni larvae did not develop in snails previoulsy infected by furcicercariae either with or without ocelli. Partial resistance to the development of S. mansoni was observed in snails previously infected by cercariae of Echinostomatidae or by cercariae with aculeus of Distomata. Absence of amoebocitary reaction around the S. mansoni sporocysts in snails previously infected by other digenetic trematodes indicates that amoebocytes did not play any role in the resistance mechanism.