Testes Number in East African Schistosoma mansoni

Abstract

One of the morphological features that has been considered of diagnostic value in distinguishing between different strains of Schistosoma spp. is the number of testes in the male worm. Hsu and Hsu (1957) demonstrated differences in testes number between different strains of Schistosoma japonicum, and Saoud (1966) subsequently showed differences between Schistosoma mansoni from Mwanza and S. mansoni from Egypt and Puerto Rico. Significant differences in testes numbers occurred between S. mansoni from Egypt and Wellcome strains if the worms were reared in hamsters, but not if they were reared in mice (Saoud, 1966).