Fig 3. Molecular diagnostic of samples (either worms or biopsies) recovered from non-infected (negative control) and infected rats (Rattus rattus) in Corsica, France.

The Sh73/DraI PCR specifically targets parasites from the S. haematobium group. The first three wells correspond to PCR results obtained for biopsies from the liver (well 1), mesenteric vessels (well 2) and bladder (well 3) of a non-infected rat (R3). The following three wells correspond to PCR results obtained from an adult worm (well 4), a mesenteric biopsy (well 5) and a biopsy on a liver granulum (well 6) from the infected rat R1. Well 7 is a size standard (ladder). Well 8–9 are PCR amplifications obtained from a biopsies of the mesenteric vessels (well 8) and of the hepatic portal system (well 9) collected on the infected rat R2. Well 11: negative control. Well 10, 12 and 13 are positive controls (well 10: worm of the corsican schistosome strain, well 12: DNA from pure S. haematobium worm and well 13: DNA from pure S. bovis worm). Note that all of the amplification patterns obtained on the infected rats display a classical S. haematobium pattern.