title: Effect of ammonium chloride on Biomphalaria alexandrina and on its infection with Schistosoma mansoni and Echinostoma liei miracidia.
abstract: Ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) has molluscicidal activity against B. alexandrina. The LC50 and LC90 recorded of this salt were found to be 90 ppm and 130 ppm, respectively. Maintaining of B. alexandrina at low concentrations of NH4Cl (5, 10, 15 and 20 ppm) greatly reduced their survival rate and fecundity. The net reproductive rate (Ro) [sigmaIx Mx] was deleteriously affected. This rate was significantly reduced than that of control snails in all tested snail groups. The reduction in Ro was 86.9%, 90.8%, 93.9% and 96.9%, respectively. The susceptibility of B. alexandrina to infection with S. mansoni and E. liei miracidia and infectivity of these two parasites were greatly reduced. Increasing the salt concentration increased this reduction. The magnitude of reduction in infection rate was lower in case of E. liei than that in S. mansoni indicating that E. liei is more tolerant to the effect of this salt than S. mansoni.
authors.affiliation: Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, Egypt.
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: El-Sayed
mesh_terms: D000643:Ammonium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001700:Biomphalaria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000469:parasitology*; D004449:Echinostoma; D008975:Molluscacides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni
chemical_list: D008975:Molluscacides; D000643:Ammonium Chloride