عنوان المقالة:The Impact of Three Herbicides on Biological and Histological Aspects of Biomphalaria alexandrina, Intermediate Host of Schistosoma mansoni
• Fathy Abdel-Ghaffar, Amira K. Ahmed; Fayez Bakry; Ibrahim Rabei and Amina Ibrahim
الملخص العربي
Schistosomiasis remains a public health problem in the developing world. Biomphalaria
alexandrina is the intermediate host of Schistosoma mansoni, with a widespread distribution in
Egypt. In Egypt molluscicides have been important, but otherwise molluscicides have been of
minor significance. They may, however, become important now that WHO talks about eradicating
schistosomiasis in some countries and that WHO has finally accepted that snail control is
important.The present study investigated the different effects of three commercial herbicidical
compounds, Butralin (as Amex 48% EC), glyphosate isopropylammonium (Herphosate 48%
SL) and Pendimethalin (Stomp 50% EC) on B. alexandrina. All three compounds were found
to have a molluscicidal effect, with Pendimethalin the most toxic over the examined range of
concentrations. In addition, at sublethal concentrations, these compounds reduced growth
rates and reproductive output (numbers of eggs laid) in exposed B. alexandrina, and it reduced
viability of those eggs. Interpretion of assay data was supported by histological changes in the
digestive and hermaphrodite glands of snails exposed at a range of concentrations. Moreover,
the three compounds were also shown to rapidly (with three hours exposure) induce a toxic
effect in miracidiae and cercariae of Schistosoma mansoni. It can be concluded that the three
herbicidical compounds have molluscicidal and antihelminth properties.
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