Effects of Trichobilharzia ocellata on hemocytes of Lymnaea stagnalis

We analyzed the effects of infection with Trichobilharzia ocellata on hemocytes of its snail host, Lymnaea stagnalis, and correlated them with successive stages of parasite development. Circulating hemocytes were studied at 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks post exposure (p.e.) with respect to cell number, distribution of subpopulations (as characterized by morphology, determinants recognized by either of two lectins and a monoclonal antibody) and to proliferative, phagocytic and endogenous peroxidase activity. Infection results in a net elevated level of activity of circulating hemocytes at 2 weeks p.e., when mother sporocysts are present in the head-foot-mantle region, as well as at 4 weeks p.e., when daughter sporocysts are migrating to and growing in the digestive gland region. A lower level of activity was observed at 6 weeks p.e., when cercariae are differentiating within daughter sporocysts. A net activation was again found at 8 weeks p.e., when cercariae are escaping. So, infection with T. ocellata results in a net general activation of the internal defense system of L. stagnalis, during several stages of development of the parasite.