These two complementary approaches enable detection of all cells within a worm, and identification of specific marker cells to guide cell labeling.
If you are not completely confident in worm recognition, collect the worm in a screw-top container and take it to the vet clinic for identification.
The par genes, key polarity regulators in animal cells, were initially identified in the worm through the identification of mutants that disrupt cell polarity at the one-celled stage (Kemphues et al., 1988).
When sperm nuclei were detected for a particular worm species, the identification was verified by dissecting additional worms from that species in Sperm Medium (SM1: 50 mM HEPES pH7.0, 50 mM NaCl, 25 mM KCl, 1 mM MgSO4, 5 mM CaCl2, 20 mM Glucose pH7.0) containing DAPI (20 μg/ml).
The viscera were processed for sample collection and further worm counts and identification of parasites present in the abomasum and small and large intestines was conducted, following the procedures described in the WAAVP guidelines for evaluating the efficacy of anthelmintics in ruminants [ 19].
To obtain adult worms for species identification, we experimentally exposed young parakeets and Gallus gallus L. chicks for 30 min to schistosome cercariae from H. japonica snails obtained from San Francisco Bay.
For any parasitological survey and epidemiological study to be carried out on these worms, the exact identification (to the specific level) of the species occurring in a geographical area represents the first parameter to be considered.
The morphologic characteristics of the female worm led to its identification as T. callipaeda, which was molecularly confirmed by a specific PCR amplification (12 ).
Subsequently, whole genome sequencing was pursued in collaborations with the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and a subset of worms from humans and dogs were used for sequencing the genome to confirm the identification of worms from people and dogs in Chad.
If the diagnosis is possible on the morphological features for adult worms for helminthologists, the identification on some stages (female, subadult, eggs and larvae) is difficult or impossible.
