The Biomedical Research Institute maintains a contract entitled "Maintenance and Supply of Schistosome Infected Snails and Mammals" through which investigators can obtain schistosome life stages for their research or teaching purposes. This unique resource is funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) of NIH. The three major schistosome species affecting humans (Schistosoma mansoni, S. haematobium, and S. japonicum), obtained either in their specific snail host, or in infected mammals, can be made available on request.

For over 20 years this supply contract has been a major factor in the development of schistosomiasis research programs in numerous institutions. It has made the schistosome species available to biochemists, immunologists and others who cannot reasonably maintain these life cycles because of a lack of space, time, funding or requisite expertise. This supply contract allows investigators to obtain schistosome life cycle stages free of charge, excluding shipping costs. In addition to fostering the development of schistosomiasis research, this resource serves as a backup facility for those investigators who have had problems with their own established life cycles. Personnel associated with this project are also available to provide training and technical assistance to other laboratories on snail cultivation, parasite collection and host infection.

When publications arise from your work using materials and/or schistosome life
stages from our resource facility, we ask that acknowledgment be made to
NIAID Contract N01-A1-30026