The susceptibility of Lymnaea fuscus to experimental infection with Fasciola hepatica.

Three experiments on the infection of Lymnaea fuscus with Fasciola hepatica were carried out to determine if successful infections and maturation of the parasite were dependent on the size of snails at miracidial exposure. The first experiment was performed using 1-4-mm-high snails from 2 populations of L. fuscus and 1 population of Lymnaea palustris. In these snails each subjected to a single bimiracidial exposure, the prevalence of F. hepatica infection at day 35 postexposure ranged from 20.3% to 46.2% in snails measuring 1 mm in height at exposure; it was lower in the 2-mm snails and was 0 in higher size classes. The second experiment was performed by subjecting 1- and 4-mm L. fuscus to 1, 2, and 3 bimiracidial exposures. The prevalence of F. hepatica infection at day 35 postexposure was maximum in the 1-mm snails exposed once to miracidia and decreased with increasing number of exposures. The results were negative in 4-mm snails. Cercarial shedding of F. hepatica was studied in the third experiment using 1- and 2-mm L. fuscus each subjected to a single bimiracidial exposure. The total number of cercariae released from these snails was less than 50. From these results, it can be concluded that L. fuscus showed a partial resistance to F. hepatica infection due to snail age.