Effect of the fungus Pochonia chlamydosporia on Echinostoma paraensei (Trematoda: Echinostomatidae).

Echinostoma paraensei is a trematode of the genus Echinostoma that causes echinostomiasis in humans. The objectives of this study were to: evaluate the ovicidal activity of the nematophagous fungus Pochonia chlamydosporia (VC1 and VC4) on a solid medium 2% water-agar (2% WA) against E. paraensei eggs (assay A); evaluate ovicidal effect (destruction of eggs) of the isolate VC4 in supplemented culture media (assay B); and evaluate the ovicidal ability of the crude extract (VC4) on E. paraensei eggs (assay C). Eggs of E. paraensei (assay A) were placed in Petri dishes containing 2% WA with an isolate of the fungus P. chlamydosporia (VC1 and VC4) grown for 10 days, and without fungus as a control and evaluated regarding their destruction. In assay B, eggs of E. paraensei were placed in Petri dishes with different supplemented culture media and with VC4 isolate and the destruction of eggs was examined at the end of 25 days of interaction. In assay C, effects of the crude extract of P. chlamydosporia (VC4) on eggs were evaluated at the end of 7 days. In assay A, there was no difference (p>0.05) in ovicidal activity among the tested isolates (VC1 and VC4); however, the highest percentage for ovicidal activity (type 3 effect) was demonstrated by the isolate VC4. In assay B, the culture medium starch-agar showed the best results for the destruction of the eggs, with a percentage of 46.6% at the end of the assay. In assay C, the crude extract of VC4 was effective in the destruction of E. paraensei eggs, with a percentage reduction of 53%. The results of this study demonstrate that a rich culture medium with a greater availability of carbon and nitrogen may interfere directly in the predatory characteristics of ovicidal fungi.

Association of bacteria with metacercarial cysts of Echinostoma caproni.

Echinostoma caproni metacercarial cysts often need to be stored for several months to a year to meet laboratory requirements. This study examined the bacteria associated with encysted metacercariae stored at 4 degrees C. Bacterial assemblages from the kidney-pericardial region of uninfected snails and assemblages from the site of metacercarial infection in Biomphalaria glabrata were determined. Four species of Gram-negative rods were isolated and identified from the stored cysts to species or genus as Pseudomonas sp., Alcaligenes sp., Enterobacter cloacae, and Aeromonas hydrophila. Gram-positive rods were also isolated and included small slender rods (alpha hemolytic), small coccobacilli (gamma hemolytic), and small rods that exhibited gamma hemolysis. Accumulation of these bacteria on the surface of encysted metacercariae probably contributed to a decreased cyst viability of E. caproni.