[Optimization of time of artificial population schistosome infected Oncomelania hupensis snails].

Objective: To explore the optimizational time of artificial population schistosome infected Oncomelania hupensis snails.

Methods: Under laboratory conditions, the snails were infected with the miracidia of Schistosoma japonicum for 2 h, 3 h and 4 h respectively, and the death rates and the infection rates of the snails, and the quantities of cercariae of each group were observed 60-120 d after the infection, and all the data observed were analyzed to get the optimizational time of artificial population schistosome infected snails.

Results: Of the 3 h group, the snail infection rate was the highest and the mortality was the lowest among the 3 groups (P<0.05). The average number of cercariae of the 3 h group was higher than that of the 2 h group (P<0.05), while there was no statistical difference between the 3 h group and the 4h group (P>0.05).

Conclusion: Under laboratory conditions, the optimizational time is 3 h in artificial population schistosome infected O. hupensis snails.