Schistosoma curassoni Brumpt, 1931 in sheep and goats in Senegal

A survey of 5722 sheep and 1752 goats at the abatoir in Dakar, Senegal showed that the overall prevalence of schistosomiasis was 2·1%. Of the 112 animals where identification of the schistosome species was possible, all were infected with Schistosoma curassoni, and 2·7% had mixed infections with S. bovis. The adult worms of S. curassoni are described, and on the basis of egg morphology this species is shown to be distinct from S. bovis and S. mattheei. Eggs of S. curassoni measured 146 μm ± 16·8 × 63·3 μm ± 4·5 from sheep and 149·4 μm ± 13·2 × 62·8 μm ± 4·9 from mouse liver, and appear to be indistinguishable from the eggs of S. haematobium Guede Chantier, Senegal which measure 153·1 μm ± 11·1 × 62·4 μm ± 12·1 from mouse liver. However, S. curassoni differs from S. haematobium in that it develops more quickly than S. haematobium in hamsters, uterine eggs becoming visible at least 20 days earlier; the adult worms of S. curassoni are nearly double the size of S. haematobium in hamsters at 70 days post infection.

Also, S. curassoni develops well in sheep and cattle unlike S. haematobium, but will not develop to maturity in baboons like S. haematobium.