MORPHOLOGICAL-STUDY OF ADULT MALE WORMS OF SCHISTOSOMA-MANSONI SAMBON, 1907 BY CONFOCAL LASER-SCANNING MICROSCOPY

Aiming to detail data obtained through brightfield microscopy (BM) on reproductive, excretory and digestive system, specimens of Schistosoma mansoni eight weeks old, were recovered from SW mice, stained with La ngeron's carmine and analyzed under a confocal laser scanning microsco pe CLSM 410 (Carl Zeiss). The reproductive system presented a single a nd lobate testis, with intercommunications between the lobes without e fferent duct. Supernumerary testicular lobe was amorphous and isolated from the normal ones. Collecting tubules (excretory ducts), followed by the excretory bladder opening to the external media through the exc retory pore, were observed at the posterior extremity of the body. In the digestive tract, a cecal swelling was noted at the junction that o riginates the single cecum. It was concluded that through confocal las er scanning microscopy, new interpretations of morphological structure s of S. mansoni worms could be achieved, modifying adopted and current descriptions. The gonad consists of a single lobed testis, similar to that observed in some trematode species. Moreover the same specimens can be observed either by BM or CLSM, considering that the latter caus es only focal and limited damage in tissue structures.