Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 23, 2026

Mass Isolation and In Vitro Cultivation of Intramolluscan Stages of the Human Blood Fluke Schistosoma Mansoni
Published on: January 14, 2018
Gymnophallid digenean Parvatrema duboisi uses Manila clam as the first and second intermediate host
Tetsuya Yanagida1, Sho Shirakashi, Takashi Iwaki
1Department of Parasitology, Asahikawa Medical College, Asahikawa, Hokkaido 078-8510, Japan. yanagida@asahikawa-med.ac.jp
Abstract:
To identify the metacercariae of a gymnophallid trematode in the Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum from the Ariake Sea, experimental infection and molecular analysis were conducted. Based on the morphology of adult worms obtained from experimentally infected mice, the parasite was identified as Parvatrema duboisi. Comparison of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequences for metacercariae and sporocysts from Manila clams and adult worms collected from wild wigeon Anas penelope showed minor differences ranging from 0 to 0.8%. These data strongly suggest that in the Ariake Sea, the parasite has a lifecycle using the Manila clam as the first and second intermediate hosts and wigeon as the definitive host.
Related Concept Videos
Diversity of Protists IV
Diversity of Protists II
Giardiasis
Diversity of Protists I
