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Morphological and morphometric study of cercariae and adult worms of Schistosoma mansoni (SLM strain) isolated from infected mice

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Abstract

In northeastern Brazil, the schistosomiasis is historically endemic and considered as a public health problem. The Schistosoma mansoni São Lourenço da Mata (SLM—PE, Brazil) strain was used in several paper already published; however, morphological and morphometric studies about this strain was never done. In this work, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used in morphological and morphometric analysis of cercariae and adult worms. Cercariae were obtained from Biomphalaria glabrata snails and adult worms from mice, both infected by the S. mansoni SLM strain, fixed and prepared for SEM. The results showed that cercariae of S. mansoni measures 254.9 μm of length. The bodies are covered by spines, with a ventral sucker, an oral sucker with sensory receivers, and a pair of penetration glands in the head. The area of tail and body and the distance between suckers were 3,011.77, 1,530.32, and 42.9 μm, respectively. Adult worms of S. mansoni were divided into three main regions: the anterior, medial, and posterior, besides the gynecophoral canal in males. The measure of adult worms of S. mansoni was 4 mm males and 5 mm females. The anterior region length of the male was 470 μm and of the female 271 μm. All the parameters were assayed in ten samples. The morphometric values found in the SLM strain were smaller than other S. mansoni strains described in the literature as well as other helminths. This is the first morphological and morphometric study with the SLM strain of S. mansoni being extremely important for improving control strategies and life quality of the local population.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) and the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES). The authors would like to thank Dr. Humberto Bertão for their technical assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil

    J. L. Lima-Filho & M. E. C. Chaves

  2. Laboratório de Imunopatologia Keizo Asami (LIKA), Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Avenida Professor Moraes Rego, s/n, CEP 50670-901, Recife, PE, Brazil

    A. S. A. Pereira, N. L. Cavalcanti, G. A. F. Nascimento, J. L. G. Nascimento-Silva, R. J. R. Padilha, L. F. W. Viegas, L. C. Alves, J. L. Lima-Filho & M. E. C. Chaves

  3. Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Molecular, Departamento de Parasitologia, Centro de Pesquisas Aggeu Magalhães, Fiocruz, Brazil

    L. C. Alves

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  1. A. S. A. Pereira
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  2. N. L. Cavalcanti
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  3. G. A. F. Nascimento
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  4. J. L. G. Nascimento-Silva
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  5. R. J. R. Padilha
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  6. L. F. W. Viegas
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  8. J. L. Lima-Filho
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  9. M. E. C. Chaves
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Correspondence to M. E. C. Chaves.

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Pereira, A.S.A., Cavalcanti, N.L., Nascimento, G.A.F. et al. Morphological and morphometric study of cercariae and adult worms of Schistosoma mansoni (SLM strain) isolated from infected mice. Parasitol Res 112, 1087–1096 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-012-3235-9

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