morphological specifications of the bird schistosome cercariae and surface carbohydrates as receptors for lectins

background: to determine the morphological specifications of the bird schistosomes cercaria from lymnaea gedrosiana and to detect the surface carbohydrates as receptors for host lectins in the host-parasite relationship systems such as avian schistosomiasis and human cercarial dermatitis. methods: one hundred ninety two snails collected from dezful areas in khuzestan province, in the south west of iran, during 2005-2006 were examined for cercariae using shedding and crushing methods. in addition, surface carbohydrates on the cercariae were detected by lentil (lens culinaris) lectins. results: from the total number of lymnaea gedrosiana, which examined for bird schistosomes cercaria, 9(4%) snails were found to be infected with furcocercus cercaria of the bird schistosomes (probably gigantobilharzia sp.). mannose monosaccharide ch2oh (choh)4cho as surface carbohydrate was also detected on the cercariae. conclusion: mannose carbohydrate on these cercariae may be used as receptor by lectins.