Biomphalaria alexandrina

About: Biomphalaria alexandrina is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 413 publications have been published within this topic receiving 3781 citations.

Immunolocalization of Schistosoma mansoni and Schistosoma haematobium antigens reacting with their Egyptian snail vectors.

Abstract: The reaction of the haemolymph and the tissue of infected intermediate hosts, Biomphalaria alexandrina and Bulinus truncatus to Schistosoma mansoni and S. haematobium antigens were investigated using the indirect immunoperoxidase technique. A new technique, Agarose cell block was used in collection of haemolymph which helped in collecting plenty of well formed cells in comparison to the ordinary one using the cytospin. Collected haemolymph and prepared tissues of uninfected and infected B. alexandria and B. truncatus were fixed and then reacted with anti-S. mansoni and anti-S. haematobium IgG polyclonal antibodies. The haemolymph and tissue of infected B. alexandrina and B. truncatus gave a positive peroxidase reaction represented by a brown colour. In haemolymph, the positive peroxidase reaction was detected mainly in the cytoplasm of the amoebocytes. In the tissue, it was detected in epithelial cells lining the tubules, male cells in the lumen of the tubules and in female oogonia cells along the periphery of the tubules. The similarity in the strength and distribution of positive reaction in B. alexandrina and B. truncates was observed as compared to control. Thus, the immunoperoxidase technique proved to be an effective indicator for the schistosome-antigen in the snails.

Can the freshwater crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) help control schistosomiasis and fascioliasis in Egypt

Abstract: ab experiments and field survey have been carried out to investigate the impact and the relationship between the exotic crayfish; Procambarus clarkii and Schistosoma and Fasciola vector snails in Egypt. In the Lab, several species of freshwater snails, fish and aquatic plants were reported to serve as food for the freshwater crayfish. In the field, a survey for the crayfish and freshwater snails has been conducted at several irrigation channels in Qalyobiya, Ismailia and Behera governorates, which had been previously surveyed during 1990s. The results of the experimental Lab indicated that the vector snails; Biomphalaria alexandrina, Bulinus truncatus and limnaea natalensis were the preys of first choice for the crayfish. The field surveys showed high reduction and sometimes complete disappearance of vector snails in irrigation channels, which have been invaded by Procambarus clarkii, while in water courses which do not harbor the crayfish, such as El Manayef drain and Fayed canal (West of Suez Canal), high densities of these vector snails were recorded. The present study is providing encouraging indication of the possible overcoming schistosomiasis and fascioliasis in Egypt by the freshwater crayfish Procombarus clarkii.