The Effect of an Eextremely Low Frequency Magnetic Field on Larvae Production in the Parasite-Host System: Fasciola hepatica-Galba truncatula: a Preliminary Study.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of an extremely low-frequency magnetic field (ELFMF) on the production of liver fluke larvae in a parasite-host system: Fasciola hepatica--Galba truncatula. Both F. hepatica eggs and F. hepatica-infected snails were exposed to an ELFMF (50 Hz, 2.0 mT) for 14 days and 36 days, respectively. F. hepatica-infected snails were divided into 4 groups, 10 specimens each. The snails of groups I and II were infected with F. hepatica larvae--miracidia obtained from control cultures, while the snails of groups III and IV were infected with miracidia reared from eggs that had been incubated in an ELFMF. After infection, the snails of groups II and IV were placed in an ELFMF, while those of groups I (control) and III were housed outside the ELFMF. At 36 days post-infection (dpi) there were no statistically significant differences between the number of F. hepatica larvae--cercariae and metacercariae, obtained from G. truncatula snails in the control group (group I) and the snail groups exposed to ELFMF (groups II, III and IV). However, a statistically significant difference between the average number of F. hepatica larvae in snail groups III and IV may indicate that the duration of exposure to ELFMF, i.e. embryogenesis period vs. the entire larval development, played a role in the production of F. hepatica larvae, and resulted in a reduction of their number.