SCHISTOSOMA-MANSONI SAMBON, 1907 - MORPHOMETRIC DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ADULT WORMS FROM SYMPATRIC RODENT AND HUMAN ISOLATES

A computer software for image analysis (IMAGE PRO PLUS, MEDIA CYBERNET ICS) was utilized in male and females adult worms, aiming the morpholo gical characterization of Schistosoma mansoni samples isolated from a slyvatic rodent Nectomys squamipes, and humans in Sumidouro, Rio de Ja neiro, Brazil and recovered from Mus musculus C3H/He. The following ch aracters for males's testicular lobes were analyzed: number; area, den sity, larger and smaller diameter longer and shorter axis and perimete r and extension; for females: area, longer and shorter axis, larger an d smaller diameter and perimeter of the eggs and spine; ol al and vent ral suckers area and distance between them in both sex were determined By the analysis of variance (one way ANOVA) significant differences ( p<0.05) were observed in all studied characters, except for the densit y of testicular lobes. Significant differences (p<0.05) were detected for all characters in the female worms. Data ratify that sympatric iso lates present phenotypic differences and the adult female characters a re useful for the proper identification of S. mansoni isolates.