Studies on the excystment of trematode metacercariae in vivo

Abstract

AbstractMetacercariae of two species of trematode (Clinostomum tilapiae, Postodiplostomum nanum) excysted in the stomach of birds, while those of three species (Parorchis acanthus, Posthodiplostomum sp., Postliodiplostomoides leonensis) excysted in the duodenum. Differences were related to the structure of the cyst wall. All could excyst in birds which were not the definitive host and the speed of excystment depended on the speed of movement of food in the gut. All, except P. acanthus, also excysted in the body cavity of the mouse.There have been few previous reports on the site of excystment of metacercarial cysts in vivo and most indicate that the duodenum is the site for most species studied, e.g. Clonorchis sinensis (Faust and Khaw, 1927), Parorchis avitus (Stunkard and Cable, 1932), Cryptocotyle lingua (Smyth, 1962) and Fasciola hepatica (Smyth, 1966). In their study of the migratory route of Paragonimus westermani in rats, cats and guinea-pigs Yokogawa et al. (1962) found that excystment occurred in the small intestine where the pH range was 5.0–6.0. Also, although the site of excystment has been established for some species, very little quantitative work has been reported about the percentage excystment in vivo and results of work on these lines is reported in this paper.