Abstract

LEAL, Miguel Archanjo Muniz  and  FRANCA, Eduardo Penna. Standardization of the technic of labeling Biomphalaria glabrata snails with radiostrontium. Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz [online]. 1982, vol.77, n.2, pp. 121-129. ISSN 0074-0276.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0074-02761982000200001.

The vector snail of schistosomiasis mansoni, Biomphalaria glabrata, when used in field experiments in which it is to be recovered and/or located, should be labeled with radiostrontium 85,89 or 90. The labeling in laboratory should be carried out in an artificially aerated aquarium with 25 ml of deionized water per snail, without sand at the bottom, at a temperature of 26.5 ± 1ºC, pH adjusted to the value found in the natural habitat, and the snails should be fed with small pieces of fresh lettuce. The level of snail activity can be estimated taking into account that, for a labeling time of 5 days and initial activities of 0.036 to 0.362 µCi/ml, the global uptake for groups of 10 snails is about 84 ± 2% and that labeling in calcium-containing water parctically does not change till a 50 ppm concentration. Survival along 9 weeks was not influenced by the presence of radiostrontium in the snail.