[Observations upon some factors which influence the laboratory maintenance of Schistosoma mansoni (author's transl)].

Abstract

Schistosoma mansoni has been maintained in the laboratory using a laboratory strain of B. glabrata, white mice (Mus musculus) and golden hamster (Cricetus auratus). Observations were collected during five consecutive years and the results were analysed for factors which might have influenced them. The analysis has shown that--(1) snail mortalities were independent of the relatively small variation in temperature and of the mean number of miracidia used for infection; (2) rate of infection of snails increased slowly with the increase of the mean number of miracidia; (3) the temperature was in reciprocal proportion with the logarithm of the cercarial development period; (4) the yield of viable eggs has increased steadily in white mice during the observation period; (5) significant increase of egg production was observed in golden hamsters when subcutaneous route of inoculation was used instead of inoculation through the alimentary pouch.