Fasciola hepatica and Paramphistomum daubneyi: field observations on the transport and outcome of floating metacercariae in running water

Experimental investigations in eight open drainage ditches and furrows from central France were carried out to analyse the dispersal of floating metacercariae of two digenean species by running water and to determine the outcome of larvae which settled on Nasturtium officinale (watercress). The frequencies of larvae found after their transport by water ranged from 33% to 49.7%, thus indicating that more than half of the metacercariae used in this experiment had fallen to the bottom of the water during this transport. The nature of the site (furrow, or ditch supplied by a spring) had a significant effect on the distribution of floating larvae, while the digenean species had no effect. Low percentages of metacercariae on watercress were noted in furrows (3.5-4.3% of larvae) and ditches (0.8-1.3%). When the watercress grew, most larvae that had settled on leaves and stems died but there were always several living metacercariae on this plant (0.7-1.5% of larvae for Fasciola hepatica and 0.2-0.5% for Paramphistomum daubneyi). The weak buoyancy of these floating cysts on running water limited their dispersal and, consequently, led to a real diminution of risks incurred by definitive hosts towards these metacercariae.