Chaetotaxic variation of the cercariae of Schistosoma mansoni, the agent of intestinal bilharziasis, correlation with the vertebrate host of the parasite]

The chaetotaxy of the cercariae of human or simian strains of Schistosoma mansoni, a fluke producing the intestinal bilharziasis displays a characteristic difference from that of cercariae of the same parasite adapted to Mouse or wild Rat. Taking into account this differential characteristic, makes it possible to determine the human or murine origin of cercariae released from naturally infected snails during epidemiologic investigations.