Fasciola hepatica (Trematoda: Digenea): its effect on the life history traits of Pseudosuccinea columella (Gasteropoda: Lymnaeidae), an uncommon interaction.
An uncommon snail-trematode interaction pattern was found for the Pseudosuccinea columella - Fasciola hepaticamodel under laboratory conditions. Week-old juveniles from two isolates showed very high rates of infection (90.0% and 93.3%) after exposure to five miracidia. They also showed differences in their life history traits when compared to a control group. However, they did not exhibit the increase in size and reduction/cessation in host fecundity which is usually observed in most of the other related snail-trematode systems. In contrast, infected juvenile P. columella showed increased egg laying after the onset of cercarial emission and there was no effect on growth. A third isolate of P. columella was found to be refractory to miracidial infection. This constitutes the first report of non-susceptibility to F. hepatica in a lymnaeid species which is usually susceptible. These non-susceptible snails exhibited lower fecundity and survival compared to non-exposed susceptible snails under identical laboratory conditions. The differences observed in terms of life span and reproduction could result from the cost of resistance for individuals from this isolate.
Gutiérrez
Alfredo
A
Laboratorio de Malacología, Instituto "Pedro Kourí"(IPK), Apartado 601, Marianao 13, Havana, Cuba.
Yong
Mary
M
Perera
Gloria
G
Sánchez
Jorge
J
Théron
André
A
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D003462:Cuba; D005210:Fasciola hepatica / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D008018:Life Cycle Stages; D010063:Ovum / Q000254:growth & development; D012908:Snails / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000502:physiology