Hymenolepis diminuta: an investigation of juvenile hormone titre, degradation and supplementation in the intermediate host, Tenebrio molitor.

Metacestodes of Hymenolepis diminuta cause a perturbance of vitellogenesis in the intermediate host Tenebrio molitor. The reduction in host reproductive output associated with infection may be due to this pathophysiology. Many of these events are regulated by host juvenile hormone (JH). A comparison of the titre of JH and its rate of degradation in female control and parasitized 15-day-old insects has been made. Haemolymph from female beetles contained 1.27 pMol JH equivalents/100 microliters. No significant difference was associated with infection. Likewise, the activity of JH esterase in female haemolymph was not affected by infection. However, topical application of a JH analogue, methoprene, at the time of infection or 8 days post-infection reduced the significant accumulation of vitellogenin usually found in the haemolymph of females 12 days or more post-infection. These findings indicate that parasite-induced alteration of host vitellogenesis is not mediated via alteration in JH titres, although observations made after hormone supplementation suggest some form of interaction between the parasite and the host endocrine system.