Biomphalaria tenagophila/Schistosoma mansoni interaction: premises for a new approach to biological control of schistosomiasis

• Main Authors: PMZ Coelho, OS Carvalho, ZA Andrade, RL Martins-Sousa, FM Rosa, L Barbosa, CAJ Pereira, RL Caldeira, LK Jannotti-Passos, ALB Godard, LA Moreira, GC Oliveira, GR Franco, HMS Teles, D Negrão-Corrêa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde 2004-08-01
• Series: Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz.
• Subjects: Biomphalaria tenagophila; innate defense; schistosomiasis mansoni; biological control; mechanism; dominant resistance heritage
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0074-02762004000900020
• ISSN: 0074-0276; 1678-8060

Biomphalaria tenagophila is very important for schistosomiasis transmission in Brazil. However its mechanisms of interaction with Schistosoma mansoni are still scantly studied. Since this snail displays strains highly susceptible or completely resistant to the parasite infection, the knowledge of that would be a useful tool to understand the mechanism of snail resistance. Particularly, the Taim strain consistently shows absolute resistance against the trematode, and this resistance is a dominant character. A multidisciplinary research group was created aiming at studying B. tenagophila/S. mansoni interaction. The possibility for applying the knowledge acquired to obtain a biological model for the control of S. mansoni transmission in endemic areas is discussed.