In vitro effects of carbonate and nitrate compounds of water on egg hatching process and the survival larvae of sheep Fasciola hepatica (In vitro)

Abstract

Introduction: In addition to the biological and physiological aspects related to parasitic factors
that influence egg hatching and transmission of infection, several environmental factors can
also affect the growth and development of Fasciola hepatica eggs. These factors play a crucial
role in determining the epidemiology, prevalence, and distribution of the disease in various
climatic regions. In this study, the effect of water containing Ammonium Nitrate and Calcium
Carbonate compounds on the hatching process and development of Fasciola eggs was
investigated.
Materials & Methods: After isolating the adult Fasciola worms from the infected sheep in the
slaughterhouse, the fertile Fasciola eggs were collected and washed. The collected eggs were
exposed to different concentrations of Ammonium Nitrate (0, 25, 50, 100, and 200 mg/L) and
Calcium Carbonate (0, 75, 150, 300, 600, and 1200 mg/L) in separate groups and were
incubated for 16 days under suitable temperature and humidity conditions. The actual mortality
rate of eggs was calculated after examining and counting hatched, developing, and dead eggs
under a light microscope.
Results: The study demonstrated that water with calcium carbonate can disorder the egghatching
process with the highest concentration resulting in a decrease from 62.7% (control
group) to 41.3% (in 1200 mg/lit concentration). Additionally, the transformation of Fasciola
egg cells into larval form decreased from 4.3% in the control group to 0%, causing a decrease
in the actual mortality rate to 21.6%. While, the culture medium with Ammonium Nitrate
caused a notable rise in the number of developing eggs, going from 6.7% in the control group
to 16.8% in the highest concentration So, the real death rate of Fasciola eggs decreased by
20.7% in environments containing Ammonium Nitrate due to prevention of egg cells' growth
and development during the developing stage.
Conclusion: Based on the findings of the present study, it seems that the pattern of the
prevalence of fascioliasis in some parts of the endemic provinces of the country may be linked
to the level of underground water hardness and the presence of Ammonium Nitrate salt
residues in the surface waters due to the overuse of agricultural fertilizers. This can be
considered as a potential approach for the control and prevention method in these areas.