title: Speed of skin penetration and initial migration route of infective larvae of Schistosoma haematobium in Meriones unguiculatus.
abstract: The kinetics of skin penetration of Schistosoma haematobium (Bilharz, 1852) (Trematoda, Schistosomatidae) cercariae is reported for the first time, Meriones unguiculatus (Rodent, Gerbillidae) being used as experimental model. It has been demonstrated that the cercariae cross the epidermis of their hosts either directly or through hair follicles culs-de-sac from 3 to 5 min. The corresponding schistosomulae slide into the superficial part of the dermis or move along the base of hair follicles. Six minutes after, schistosomulae are found in the lumen of lymphatic vessels running alongside blood capillaries. One hour post-infestation, the dermis presents acute inflammatory reaction with edema, infiltration of neutrophil and eosinophil leukocytes. Conversely, dilated blood capillaries do not contain any schistosomula. Thus, the initial migration path of infective larvae of S. haematobium in M. unguiculatus is lymphatic.
authors.affiliation: Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Laboratoire de Biologie parasitaire, Protistologie, Helminthologie, Paris, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bayssade-Dufour
authors.forename: P N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Vuong
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Farhati
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Picot
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Albaret
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005849:Gerbillinae; D007814:Larva; D008208:Lymphatic System / Q000469:parasitology; D012548:Schistosoma haematobium / Q000166:cytology*; D012867:Skin / Q000469:parasitology*; D012869:Skin Absorption