In vitro Studies on the Effect of Parasitosis on Amino Acid Profile of Bulinus species

Abstract

Freshwater snails are intermediate hosts of some trematode diseases including Schistosomiasis. This study was designed to study the interactions between Bulinus species and the larval stages of Schistosoma haematobium specifically the amino acid levels of the infected freshwater snails. Bulinus species were collected from their natural habitats, reared in the laboratory, and exposed to the larval stage of Schistosoma haematobium. Using the method described in Association of Official Analytical Chemists in determining Amino acid profile the amino acid profile of both the infected and non-infected Bulinus species was determined. Histidine, valine, methionine, phenylalanine, lysine levels of the Bulinus species decreased amongst the infected starved snails than in the control. The amino acids profile decreased significantly across the different challenges that the snails Bulinus were exposed to. This study has opened research windows for the control of urinary schistosomiasis through the control of the intermediate hosts using some biochemical approach.