title: On the longevity of Schistosoma curassoni.
abstract: It is demonstrated that Schistosoma curassoni, a parasite of sheep, cattle and goats in parts of West Africa, will live for at least 8 years 5 months in a sheep. The sheep was exposed to 500 cercariae of S. curassoni liberated from infected Bulinus wrighti. The sheep died of natural causes, and at post-mortem 28 pairs of adult S. curassoni were removed from the mesenteric and rectal veins. All female worms were gravid, and eggs were hatched from faeces to produce miracidia. The development of immune responses of the host had apparently little or no effect on the viability of the eggs. Histological studies of the liver, small and large intestines revealed mild pathological symptoms. The longevity of S. curassoni is the first record of longevity of schistosomes to be based on worm counts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vercruysse
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rollinson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van Heerden
authors.forename: V R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Southgate
mesh_terms: D000354:Africa, Western; D000818:Animals; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000175:diagnosis; D008109:Liver Diseases, Parasitic / Q000175:diagnosis; D008136:Longevity; D012547:Schistosoma / Q000502:physiology*; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*