A comparative study of the death of schistosomula of Schistosoma haematobium and Schistosoma mansoni in the skin of mice and hamsters.

This study shows that some cercariae of S. haematobium and S. mansoni die during penetration of mouse or hamster skin. Approximately 30-38% of cercariae of both species die in mouse skin and 14-16% die in hamster skin. The greater number of cercariae which die in the skin of mice seems to account for the higher yield of adult worms recovered in hamsters. Adult worm recoveries from animals infected with S. haematobium were, however, only about half the worm recoveries from hosts infected with S. mansoni.