An Improved Perfusion Technique for Recovering Adult Schistosomes from Laboratory Animals

SummaryThe technique described is the result of more than 15 years' experience in recovering adult schistosomes from experimentally infected animals. Basically, the method consists in administering intraperitoneally a combined injection of pentobarbital sodium (Nembutal) and heparin to produce a shift of the worms from the mesenteric veins to the liver and to prevent clotting while they are perfused directly into conical sedimentation glasses for collection and counting. The method permits the recovery of almost every live schistosome; it is rapid and simple.