title: Spatial distribution patterns of the sporocyst infrapopulation of Schistosoma mansoni within its mollusc host (Biomphalaria glabrata): an unusual phenotype of aggregation.
abstract: A study carried out on the intramolluscan development of the larval stages of Schistosoma mansoni from Venezuela in its intermediate host Biomphalaria glabrata shows the existence of 2 patterns for the spatial distribution of daughter sporocysts within the digestive gland of the snail. Besides the normal pattern, which is a random distribution of daughter sporocysts within the gland, 11% of the infected snails harbored an infection phenotype with daughter sporocysts strongly aggregated in only the posterior half of the digestive gland. These data suggest a possible strategy allowing a better nutritional efficiency of the infected digestive gland, a process to block the supply of hemolymph toward the gonad, resulting in castration or both.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Biologie Animale, URA no. 698 CNRS, Centre de Biologie et d'Ecologie tropicale et méditerranéenne, Université, Perpignan, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gérard
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Balzan
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Théron
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001700:Biomphalaria / Q000469:parasitology*; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D007814:Larva / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*