Morphological aspects of Schistosoma mansoni adult worms isolated from nourished and undernourished mice: a comparative analysis by confocal laser scanning microscopy
Rh. Neves et al., Morphological aspects of Schistosoma mansoni adult worms isolated from nourished and undernourished mice: a comparative analysis by confocal laser scanning microscopy, MEM I OSW C, 96(7), 2001, pp. 1013-1016
Malnutrition hampers the course of schistosomiasis mansoni infection just a
s normal growth of adult worms. A comparative morphometric study on adult s
pecimens (male and female) recovered from undernourished (fed with a low pr
otein diet - regional basic diet) and nourished (rodent commercial laborato
ry food, NUVILAB) white mice was performed. Tomographic images and morphome
tric analysis of the oral and ventral suckers, reproductive system and tegu
ment were obtained by means of confocal laser scanning microscopy. Undernou
rished male specimens presented smaller morphometric values (length and wid
th) of the reproductive system (first, third and last testicular lobes) and
thickness of the tegument than controls. Besides that, it was demonstrated
that the dorsal surface of the male worms bears large tubercles unevenly d
istributed, but kept grouped and flat. At the subtegumental region, vacuola
ted areas were detected.
It was concluded that the inadequate nutritional status of the vertebrate h
ost has a negative influence mainly in the reproductive system and topograp
hical somatic development of male adult Schistosoma mansoni, inducing some
alterations on the structure of the parasite.