Ultraviolet radiation of Schistosoma mansoni. II. Post-hatching radiation effect on some aspects of miracidia behaviour and infectivity

ABSTRACT

Batches of Schistosoma mansorti miracidia were irradiated with ultraviolet light for varying time intervals to determine the -influence of radiation on the transmission potential of radiated miracidia. There was a decrease in the survival rate of hatched-free swimming miracidia that corresponded with the increasing radiation exposure time. The activity rate of radiated miracidia also decrease with increasing radiation exposure time, showing a 69.3% reduction in the mean rate of movement of miracidia irradiated for 30 minutes and 40.4% reduction in the miracidia exposed for 0.5 minutes. The infectivity rates of the free-swimming miracidia exposed to 5.0,15.0 and 30.0 minutes uv radiation were significantly different (P