Schistosomiasis ranks the second amongst parasitic diseases affecting human. To reduce the incidence of this disease, several strategies were applied including snail control. Chemical control methods have many drawbacks, hence biological control became the concern of many studies. In this study, eight algal species were tested against Biomphalaria alexandrina snails; the intermediate host of Schistosoma mansoni. The bioassay tests revealed that Cystosiera barbata and Dictyota dichotoma were the most effective species, where the LC 50 values were 2200 ppm and 560 ppm consequently. Prolonged exposure to LC 25 (280 ppm) of D. dichotoma resulted in death of snails after two weeks. In addition, alterations in digestive glands of treated snails with LC 5 (220 ppm) and LC 25 (280 ppm) of C. barbata and D. dichotoma, respectively were obvious, as vacuolation of digestive cells were recorded after exposure of snails to LC 5 of C. barbata. Moreover, exposure of snails to LC 25 of D. dichotoma resulted in noticeable vacuolation of digestive cells and degenerated secretory cells; the lumen was nearly disappeared. The maximum elevations in the activities of both aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were observed after 2 weeks of exposure to LC 5 (56 ppm) and LC 15 (660.7 ppm) of D. dichotoma and C. barbata, respectively. The total protein contents of treated B. alexandrina snails were significantly different from that of control group after 2 weeks of exposure to different concentrations of both effective algae.
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