IN VIVO AND IN VITRO ENCYSTMENT OF ECHINOCHASMUS LILIPUTANUS CERCARIAE AND BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF THE METACERCARIAE

In vivo and in vitro encystment of the cercariae of Echinochasmus liliputanus and biological activity of the metacercariae were studied. In vivo encystment of cercariae occurred in the gills of goldfish, the second intermediate host. However, the cercariae also encysted in vitro in Locke solution (0.6× to 1.2× strength), 0.7–1.2% NaCl, artificial gastric juice, and human gastric juice. Locke or NaCl solutions were shown to be appropriate for in vitro encystment to occur within 24 hr; however, full-strength Locke solution was shown to be optimal. The 1-day-old metacercariae formed in vivo and treated in 0.1% sodium deoxycholate excystation medium at 37 C for 1 hr showed 88.5% excystation. The metacercariae formed in vitro, however, showed 88.6% and 85.0% excystation for normal and abnormal ones, respectively. Abnormal cysts at room temperature usually die within 10 days. About 70% of the normal cysts, both in vivo and in vitro, can still excyst after being stored in Locke 0.5× solution at 4 C for 3 mo. Cysts formed in vivo and in vitro were equally infective. The encystment of the cercariae in vitro could be inhibited when the cercariae were treated with 1 μmol silver nitrate. Because silver nitrate binds to the papillae, especially to the ciliated papillae, on the cercaria surface, it is suggested that papillary chemoreceptors may be involved in encystment of the cercariae. The finding of E. liliputanus cercariae encysting in vitro, especially in human gastric juice, might be helpful in elucidating mechanisms of the definitive hosts that are directly infected by the cercariae.