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Query: UMLS:C0851341 (infestation)
 10,121 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The condition of the periwinkle Littorina littorea, expressed in terms of its shell morphology, reproductive impairment (i.e. female sterility/intersex, male penis shedding), trematode infestation load, lipid reserves and dry/wet weight ratio, was determined in function of environmental stress along the polluted Western and relatively clean Eastern Scheldt estuary (The Netherlands). The upstream increasing pollution and decreasing salinity levels along the Western Scheldt estuary (Fig. 1) are reflected in the dry/wet weight ratio and lipid content of the periwinkles. Compared to the Eastern Scheldt, female intersex (i.e. indicator of TBT pollution) and sterility occurred more frequently in the Western Scheldt estuary, while male penis shedding was even restricted to the latter estuary. The highest population intersex and sterility incidence was found near the harbour of Vlissingen and reflects potential nautical activities. The number of trematode infested periwinkles did not differ between both estuaries, although local sampling site differences were detected within each estuary, reflecting the complex interactions that exist among parasites, hosts and the local environment. Finally, both estuaries were maximally discriminated from each other based on the shell weight of the periwinkles using a canonical discriminant analysis. Periwinkles with the heaviest shells were found in the Western Scheldt estuary and may reflect growth rate or structural population differences caused by the less favourable living conditions in the Western Scheldt estuary.
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PMID:Effects of environmental stress on the condition of Littorina littorea along the Scheldt estuary (The Netherlands). 1734 99

In this study we present the results of an intersex survey of Littorina littorea along the Belgian coast. Levels of female intersex and sterility were determined to assess TBT related adverse effects. In addition, we determined the levels of male penis shedding and trematode infestation and investigated the morphology of the shell. Significant differences were found for all these variables which clearly differentiated periwinkles from Zeebrugge (B2) from those at other locations. Intersex index (ISI) values were relatively low (i.e. 0.00-0.39), except at B2 where they ranged up to 3.52, the highest value ever reported in literature. Consequently, female reproductive impairment at B2 was severe. Indeed, up to 95% of female periwinkles were sterile at B2. In addition, 61% of the male periwinkles had shed their penis. Furthermore, no trematode infestation could be detected at B2 and specimens from this location had the largest and heaviest shells, which may be related to population demography and/or a different use of energy budgets.
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PMID:Comparative assessment of reproductive impairment in the gastropod mollusc Littorina littorea along the Belgian North Sea coast. 1922 64