title: Still and Moving Image Evidences for Mating of Echinococcus granulosus Reared in Culture Media.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Echinococcus granulosus cultivation is very important for improvement of different aspect of medical and veterinary researches. Despite many advances in this case, there is a missing link for in vitro life cycle of adult worms and it is fertilization. Regarding the researchers' observations, self-fertilization can be done in worms living in dog intestine, but despite all sorts of experimental techniques, this phenomenon has never been observed in reared worms in culture media. Furthermore, cross fertilization has not been observed in vitro and even in parasites with dog intestinal origin; although it theoretically is possible. During a follow-up of cultivated adult worms, evidences of behaviors similar to self-mating (Type 2) and cross-mating were observed in our lab which will be presented here.
  
  
  METHODS
  Protoscoleces were aseptically removed from sheep hydatid cysts, washed twice with PBS and then cultivated in S.10E.H culture medium. The stages of parasite growth were observed using an inverted microscope for two months and all stages and behaviors were microscopically photographed. Different movies have also been made from these behavioral features.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After around 55 days post cultivation, some evidences of behaviors similar to self-mating (Type 2) and cross-mating were observed in some of the mature adult worms. However, fertile eggs in these parasites have never been observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Regarding the above observations, these parasites show tendency to unsuccessful self-mating/fertilization (type 2) which failure could be due to anatomical position and physiological maturation. Also lack of suitable conditions for self-fertilization causes the worms try to do unsuccessful cross- mating/fertilization in culture media.
authors: Dept. of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors: Tahereh
authors: T
authors: Mohammadzadeh
authors: Dept. of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors: Seyed Mahmoud
authors: SM
authors: Sadjjadi
authors: Dept. of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors: Hamidreza
authors: H
authors: Rahimi
keywords: Cross-mating/fertilization; Culture media; Echinococcus granulosus; Self-mating/fertilization
references: J Helminthol. 1969;43(3):383-7
references: 4191792
references: Parasitol Int. 2006;55 Suppl:S197-202
references: 16337429
references: J Parasitol. 1989 Aug;75(4):562-70
references: 2760768
references: Turkiye Parazitol Derg. 2008;32(4):360-5
references: 19156612
references: Int J Parasitol. 1988 Sep;18(6):803-11
references: 3192352
references: Int J Parasitol. 1992 Feb;22(1):117-8
references: 1563913
references: PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2012;6(11):e1915
references: 23209857
references: Int J Parasitol. 1985 Apr;15(2):137-40
references: 3997345
references: Z Parasitenkd. 1986;72(2):265-9
references: 3705712
references: Emerg Infect Dis. 2006 Feb;12(2):296-303
references: 16494758
references: Parasitology. 1999 Jan;118 ( Pt 1):63-71
references: 10070663
references: Iran J Parasitol. 2012;7(1):59-66
references: 23133473
references: Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 1980;74(5):649-52
references: 6782718
references: Vet Parasitol. 2011 Jan 10;175(1-2):80-3
references: 20965659
references: Angew Parasitol. 1979 Oct;20(3):137-47
references: 517805
references: Int J Parasitol. 1974 Dec;4(6):631-44
references: 4609935
references: Parasitology. 1966 Nov;56(4):763-6
references: 5971589