Averbuj A, Cremonte F
Centro Nacional Patagónico CONICET, Bvd. Brown 2915, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina.
J Helminthol. 2010 Dec;84(4):381-9. doi: 10.1017/S0022149X10000052. Epub 2010 Feb 8.
Parasitic castration of Buccinanops cochlidium from San José Gulf, Argentina, caused by a lepocreadiid digenean, is reported for the first time. Rediae and ophtalmotrichocercous cercariae probably belonging to Opechona sp. were identified in the gonad and digestive gland. Opechona sp. has been reported previously parasitizing B. monilifer from a northern locality in the Argentine Sea. Overall prevalence of infection was 15.5%; it varied seasonally, rising during the warm months after the host oviposition period. Cercariae were expelled at the same time as the hatching of snail embryos (during the higher water temperature period). Rediae affected male and female snails equally, but prevalence increases along with host size. The parasite causes the complete castration of the host. Parasitized adult snails showed a reduction of penis size in comparison with healthy males. It remains to be confirmed whether the peak of cercariae emission coincides with the presence of jellyfishes and scombrid or other fishes in the area, which could act as second intermediate and definitive hosts, respectively.
首次报道了阿根廷圣何塞湾的布氏拟滨螺被一种鳞盘吸虫纲复殖吸虫寄生阉割的情况。在性腺和消化腺中鉴定出可能属于奥佩乔纳属的雷蚴和眼毛尾蚴。奥佩乔纳属此前曾被报道寄生于阿根廷海北部地区的念珠拟滨螺。总体感染率为15.5%；感染率随季节变化，在宿主产卵期后的温暖月份上升。尾蚴在蜗牛胚胎孵化时（水温较高时期）排出。雷蚴对雄螺和雌螺的影响相同，但感染率随宿主大小增加而上升。该寄生虫导致宿主完全阉割。与健康雄螺相比，被寄生的成年螺阴茎尺寸减小。尾蚴排放高峰是否与该区域水母、鲭科鱼类或其他鱼类的出现相吻合仍有待证实，这些生物可能分别充当第二中间宿主和终末宿主。
