Fig 5. Knockdown of SmLeish influences S. mansoni infection kinetics and cercarial output.

(A) Knockdown of SmLeish prior to challenge of M-line B. glabrata reduced the early infection success of the parasite as measured by the number of S. mansoni-challenged B. glabrata that shed cercaria at 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 weeks post challenge compared to GFP knockdown control parasites. Long-term infection success was not statistically changed after 8-weeks post challenge, suggesting that knockdown of SmLeish may reduce the number of miracidia (out of the 5 each snail was exposed to) that successfully infected the snail. However, significant differences were observed (*) at 5, 6 and 7 weeks post challenge. Shown are the mean % snails shedding cercariae resulting from three independent trials, with mean and standard error. (B) Cercaria output was also significantly influenced by SmLeish knockdown early in the shedding phase of the infection, at weeks 4, 5, 6, and 7 post challenge (*). However, parallel to the number of snails shedding, cercaria outputs were not statistically different by week 8 post challenge. Shown are the individual cercaria output numbers per infected snail at each time point. Closed and open markers distinguish between the two trials, with mean and standard deviation shown.