EXPERIMENT NO.

20
Blood Flukes

Danielle Justine Godoy

BSMT201

Developmental Stages
Schistosoma Schistosoma Schistosoma
japonicum mansoni haematobium

1. Ova Transparent, non operculated, embryonated.

A. Size 85 x 65 um 150- 60 um 140-60 um
B. Shape Ovoid with lateral Ovoid with lateral Ovoid with
knob spine terminal spine
C. Specimen Feces Feces Urine

Drawing:

2. Adult
A. Habitat Superior mesenteric Inferior mesenteric Vesical and pelvic
veins which drains to veins which drains to plexus which drains
small intestine large intestine to urinary bladder
B. Smooth Coarse tuberculation Fine tuberculation
Integuments
C.No. of 6-8 in a single row 6-9 in cluster 4-5 in cluster
Testes
D. Length of Occupies half of the Occupies 1/3 of the Occupies 2/3 of the
the Uterus length of the body entire length of the entire length of the
body body

E.Location Median Toward the anterior Toward the

of the ovary half posterior half

GUIDE QUESTIONS

1. Aside from stool or urine examination, mention other methods for diagnosing
schistosomiasis. Discuss the principle of each methods.

Aside from the stool or urine examination, we have the following:

 Concentration technique is a procedure where fecal sample debris separates from the parasite
itself and the chances of identifying the parasitic organisms are high.
 Recatal or liver biopsy where the stool sample is negative through light infection, it is used
for ova detection.
 Intradermal test using Ag from snail liver where in the antigen from the snail liver can
identify the exposure of the patient to the parasite
 Serological test, the detection of antibody as a response to the infection of the parasite
(ELISA, IRMA (Immunoradioactive assay) and CCFT (Cephalin Cholesterol Flocculation
Test)

COPT (Circumoval Precipitation Test) where it detects anti-bodies of the patient (serum) and has
the reagent of antigen form of ova, the most sensitive and specific for lab diagnostic of
Schistosomiasis. On the other hand, there’s Falcon assay which is a screening test for
Schistosomiasis.

2. What is the function of gynecophoral canal found among the adult male worm?

The gynecophoral canal which is found in the adult male of schistosomes is where the female
adult worm resides for copulation/maturation production, an adult male can hold two adult
female during copulation where they classified to be “romantic”.
3. Outline how each specie of the parasites reaches their final habitats in the definitive host
body.

Schistosomes have cercaria that penetrates through skin penetration that enters the body then
detaches the tail to become tail less, called as schistosomule. It will undergo through the blood
stream to heart and lung migration (branches of venules) female and male adult worm copulates
then lays embryonated egg and hatches through water. Releases miracidium that penetrates the
snail; Afterwards, the cercaria releases out of the snail and penetrates the skin of the definitive
host.

For instance, The Schistosoma japunicum where it reaches the definitive host body that is often
found in the superior mesenteric veins draining the small intestine.

The Schistosoma mansoni occurs frequently in the inferior mesenteric veins draining the large
intestine and Schistosoma haematobium most often inhabits in the vesicular and pelvic venous
plexus of the bladder/Rectal venules (can go out from the urine)

DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES
Size Description
1. Ova 85 x 55 um Yellowish brown or golden brown with
flattened operculum.

Has thick shell.

Has thickened aboperculum located at the

opposite end of the operculum.

Drawing:

2. Adult 7.5 x 12 mm Hermaphrodite, usually found encapsulated

 in the packets of the lungs.

Reddish brown in color.

A. Shape Ovoid, spoon shaped when active.
Oval, flattened coffee bean shaped when
preserved.
A.Oral and Ventral Equal in size
Suckers
B.Testes Lobed, arranged symmetrically side by side
C. Ovary Lobed, found anterior to the testes
D. Uterus Coiled
Drawing:
Ovoid, spoon shaped when active.
Oval, flattened coffee bean shaped
when preserved.

GUIDE QUESTIONS
1. What is the role of 3% NaOH in the preparation of sputum for identification of the
Paragonimus?

The role of 3% NaOH in the preparation of sputum for identification of the Paragonimus is to
digest the mucus in that specific laboratory diagnosis.

2. Discuss how the parasite eggs are passed out in the feces considering that the adult
worms are in the lungs.

The parasite’s ova (has spines that penetrates blood vessel) are passed out in the feces by having
the adult worm to lay eggs that are pass/located in the sputum of the infected host. Afterwards,
the parasite’s ova with sputum will be swallowed back to the GI and defected in the feces stool.
3. How the disease pathology differs from pulmonary tuberculosis? How would you
confirm that it is a parasitism and not a bacterial infection?

The disease pathology differs from pulmonary tuberculosis through where they take place; Lung
fluke (Paragonimas Westermani) has disease pathology of Jacksonian epilepsy, because of its
adult worm on the lungs and the parasite has the possibility to damage the brain that can cause
meningencephalitis which doesn’t occur in pulmonary tuberculosis.

We can identify/confirm a stool sample if it’s parasitism or not a bacterial infection by using
acid-fast bacilli (culture and sensitivity) test where in; if there a parasite presents in the specimen
then it is positive one and if the results are negative, that would be parasitism (Paragonimas
westernmani).

4. In terms of morphological characteristics, how does the adult stage of this parasite
differs from the Schistosomes?

They have certain differences in terms of their size where Schistosomes are cylindrical and
elongated, female adult worm is slender and long but darker in color while Lung fluke has
ovoidal reddish brown that has the shape of a coffee when preserved or killed and spoon shaped
when alive.