HIGH-PERFORMANCE THIN-LAYER CHROMATOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF SUGARS IN HELISOMA-TRIVOLVIS (PENNSYLVANIA STRAIN) INFECTED WITH LARVAL ECHINOSTOMA-TRIVOLVIS AND IN UNINFECTED H-TRIVOLVIS (PENNSYLVANIA AND COLORADO STRAINS)

High performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) was used for the qu alitative and quantitative determination of sugars in the hemolymph an d digestive gland - gonad complex (DGG) of Helisoma trivolvis (Pennsyl vania strain) naturally infected with the intramolluscan stages of Ech inostoma trivolvis, and of matched uninfected snails. A laboratory pop ulation of a Colorado strain of H. trivolvis, refractory to infection with E. trivolvis, was also examined for sugars by HPTLC. In both snai l strains, glucose and trehalose were the only sugars identified, Quan titative analysis by scanning densitometry showed no significant diffe rence in the levels of glucose and trehalose in the Colorado and Penns ylvania strains, or the uninfected and infected Pennsylvania strain. T he glucose to trehalose ratios in the hemolymph were > 11 for the Colo rado strain, 0.67 for the uninfected Pennsylvania strain and 2.3 for t he infected Pennsylvania strain.