Intro (Garcia):

WORKSHEET 3
PHYLUM PLATYHELMINTHES

Presented by:
Kleent Garcia
Edjames Recamara
Alexa Gail Rojas

Garcia: This lab involves examining photomicrographs of prepared slides.

Lab Work 1. Microscopy

Garcia (Description): The body of Planaria is

soft (lack of skeleton) and leaf-shaped (bilateral
symmetry). The spade-shaped head has two
eyes and sometimes auricles. These eyespots
consist of photoreceptor cells that can detect
the intensity of light while auricles can’t hear
the sound but can sense touch. Planaria have a
single-opening digestive tract, which consists of
a mouth, pharynx, and gastrovascular cavity.
The mouth of the planarian doesn’t stay close
to its eyes. Instead, its mouth is in the center of
the underside of the body. The pharynx
connects the mouth to the gastrovascular
cavity, which branches throughout the body.
Figure 1. Planaria w.m. under 40x magnification
Garcia (Description): Unlike other flukes
(trematodes) in which sexes are not separate
(monoecious), Schistosoma japonicum are
unique in that adults are divided into males and
females, thus, gonochoric. However, a
permanent male-female pair, a condition called
in copula, is required to become adults; for this,
they are considered as hermaphrodites. The
body is usually spined and has an oral sucker
occasionally with pair of muscular lateral
papillae.  Moreover, the vitelline gland in
female does not develop in the absence of
male.

Figure 2. Schistosoma japonicum copula (Male & Female)

under 40x magnification
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Garcia (Description): Shown here

are the double row chitinous hooks arranged
around a rostellum (small projection) at the top
of the globular scolex. Taenia solium
contains four large suckers . The scolex,
contains suckers and a rostellum as organs of
attachment that attach to the wall of the small
intestine. The main body consists of a chain of
segments known as proglottids. Each proglottid
is a little more than a self-sustainable, very
lightly ingestive, self-contained reproductive
unit since tapeworms are hermaphrodites.

Figure 3. Taenia solium scolex under 40x magnification

Guide Questions
On your worksheet, answer the following:

1. Provide the taxonomic details of all the observed representatives of Platyhelminthes.- Alexa

Representatives Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus Species

of
Platyhelminthes

Clonorchis Animalia Platyhelminthes Trematoda Opisthorchiida Opisthorchiidae Clonorchis sinensis

sinensis

Diphyllobothriu Animalia Platyhelminthes Cestoda Pseudophyllidea Diphyllobothriidae Diphyllobothriu latum

m latum m

Dipylidium Animalia Platyhelminthes Cestoda Cyclophyllidea Dipylidiidae Dipylidium caninum

caninum

Dugesia Animalia Platyhelminthes Turbellaria Tricladida Dugesiidae Dugesia --

Fasciola Animalia Platyhelminthes Trematoda Echinostomida Fasciolidae Fasciola hepatica

hepatica

Hymenolepis Animalia Platyhelminthes Cestoda Cyclophyllidea Hymenolepididae Hymenolepis diminuta

diminuta

Paragonimus Animalia Platyhelminthes Trematoda Plagiorchiida Troglotrematidae Paragonimus westerman

westermani i

Planaria Animalia Platyhelminthes Turbellaria Tricladida Planariidae Planaria --

Schistosoma Animalia Platyhelminthes Trematoda Diplostomida Schistosomatidae Schistosoma japonicum

japonicum
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Taenia saginata Animalia Platyhelminthes Cestoda Cyclophyllidea Taeniidae Taenia saginata

Taenia solium Animalia Platyhelminthes Cestoda Cyclophyllidea Taeniidae Taenia solium

2. Make simple diagrams tracing the life history of Schistosoma japonicum and Taenia solium.

Figure 1. Life history of Schistosoma japonicum

Alexa (Explanation): The parasite's eggs are released in the feces, where they hatch into free-swimming
larvae called miracidia. The larva must then infect an Oncomelania snail, such as Oncomelania hupensis,
within one or two days. The larva reproduces asexually inside the snail via sporocysts. Circaria (another
free-swimming larva) are produced in great numbers during asexual reproduction and must infect a
suitable vertebrate host. Once the cercaria penetrates the skin of the host it loses its tail and becomes a
schistosomule. From there they move through the circulation to the mesenteric veins , where they mate
and deposit eggs. Each pair lays 1500–3500 eggs each day in the intestinal vessels. The eggs move
through the tissues and into the excrement.

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Figure 2. Life history of Taenia solium

Alexa (Explanation): T. solium has an indirect life cycle, passing through pigs as intermediate hosts
before reaching humans as definitive hosts. In humans, the infection can be brief or prolonged, and in
the latter instance, if it reaches the brain, it can last a lifetime. The eggs are released from people into
the environment, where they await consumption by another host. The eggs mature into oncospheres in
the secondary host, which bore through the intestinal wall and move to other areas of the body, where
cysticerci form. The cysticerci can survive in the animal for several years.

3. How many hosts does Schistosoma japonicum need to infect to complete a life cycle? Which life-
history stage is potentially infectious to humans?
According to Nelwan (2019), Schistosoma japonicum has two hosts throughout its life:
snails and mammals. Schistosoma japonicum is most infectious during its larval stage. They are
spread through the skin of humans by freshwater snails. Individuals become infected when
parasite larvae – released by freshwater snails – penetrate the skin following contact with
infested water.
Edjames: Some of the parasite's eggs are excreted in the feces or urine, thereby perpetuating
the parasite's life cycle. Others become trapped in body tissues, triggering immune responses,
and causing progressive organ damage
4. Which measures should we practice preventing spread and infection of Schistosoma japonicum?
Edjames: Based on the report of the WHO (2002), schistosomiasis control is based on the mass
treatment of at-risk population groups, improved sanitation, hygiene education, and snail
control.

In order to prevent spread and infection of Schistosoma japonicum, the parasites should be
eliminated before egg laying begins since the pathological effects of schistosome infection in
humans are caused by the eggs (Pechenik, 2015). Another is to control populations of the
freshwater snail which are the intermediate host. Furthermore, we can avoid swimming or
striding in freshwaters in places where schistosomiasis occurs (CDC, n.d.). Lastly, improved
sanitation can also reduce or eliminate transmission of this disease and in places without
sustained mass drug treatment, it can be used as one the measures to control schistosomiasis.
5. What is a cysticercus in Class Cestoda?
Edjames: All cestodes undergo a three-stage life cycle: eggs, larvae, and adults.
Pigs consume the eggs, which develop into larvae, oncospheres, and eventually, infective
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tapeworm cysts called cysticercus. When humans consume raw pork or meat, the larval cyst form
attaches to the intestine wall. Thus, cysticercus is the larval cyst stage that consists of an inverted
pouch-like structure with scolex (Suckers and hooks) designed to adhere tightly to the host's
intestine and is filled with fluid-like material (Heyneman, 1996).

References:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Parasites- Schistosomiasis. Retrieved from
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved March 3, 2022, from
https://www.cdc.giv/parasites/schistosomiasis/prevent.html

Heyneman, D. (1996). Cestodes. In: Baron S, editor. Medical Microbiology. 4th edition. Galveston
(TX): University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston; Chapter 89.  Retrieved March 3,
2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK8399/
Jauréguiberry, S., Paris, L., & Caumes, E. (2010). Acute schistosomiasis, a diagnostic and
therapeutic challenge. Clinical microbiology and infection: the official publication of the
European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, 16(3), 225–231.
Retrieved March 3, 2022, from https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-0691.2009.03131.x
Nelwan M. L. (2019). Schistosomiasis: Life Cycle, Diagnosis, and Control. Current therapeutic
research, clinical and experimental, 91, 5–9. Retrieved March 3, 2022, from
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.curtheres.2019.06.001
Pechenik, J. A. (2015). Biology of the Invertebrates. New York: McGraw-Hill Education.

World Health Organization. (2002). Prevention and control of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted
helminthiasis, Geneva.