Effect of concurrent infection with Muellerius capillaris on the development of redial generations of Fasciola hepatica in Lymnaea truncatula

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe rediae of Fasciola hepatica were counted according to generation in adult and juvenile Lymnaea truncatula following single infection with Fasciola hepatica, double infection with F. hepatica and then Muellerius capillaris, or double infection with M. capillaris and F. hepatica. The rediae found in double infections were essentially first generation and an early cohort from the second generation. The following differences were observed in adult snails which underwent double infection when compared to corresponding single infections: i) dependent rediae were almost completely absent; ii) degenerating independent rediae were found in identical or decreased numbers; iii) living independent rediae of the first generation were decreased in number, while those of the second generation had variable decreased numbers. The results were similar in juvenile snails with double infections, except that the numbers of degenerating independent rediae were higher than those found in corresponding single infections and the numbers of rediae of the second generation were increased. The order of exposure in double infections had no influence on the number and maturation of fasciolid rediae.