Larval trematodes in freshwater snails at the Ross River Reservoir, northern Australia, with emphasis on Trichobilharzia sp(p)., causative agents of swimmer's itch

1994 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 563 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Hurley ◽  
MN Hearnden ◽  
D Blair ◽  
BH Kay
Keyword(s):  
Freshwater Snails ◽  
Northern Australia ◽  
Intermediate Hosts ◽  
Trematode Infection ◽  
River Reservoir ◽  
Swimmer’S Itch ◽  
Causative Agents ◽  
Swimmer's Itch ◽  
Trematode Infections ◽  
Prosobranch Snail

Prevalence of trematode cercariae within freshwater snails at the Ross River reservoir is presented, with special attention to Trichobilharzia sp(p). (Digenea:Schistosomatidae), known causative agents of schistosome dermatitis. Three pulmonate snails-a lymnaeid, Austropeplea lessoni, and two planorbids, Gyraulus gilberti and Amerianna carinata-and one prosobranch snail, Thiara balonnensis, were common in the reservoir. These snails were infected with trematode cercariae representing six different families. Both Austropeplea lessoni (4.5%) and G. gilberti (1.8%) act as intermediate hosts of Trichobilharzia sp(p). Trematode infection levels increased as snail size increased. The implication for surveillance techniques is that only the larger snails (A. lessoni > 10 mm, G. gilberti > 3 mm and Amerianna carinata >6 mm) require dissection to determine the prevalence of trematode infections.

limited data for the greater Townsville area (Kay et al.1996). Based on the prevalence of key vector species and their abundance and that of the viruses recovered, it was concluded that Big Bay, originally recommended as a prime site for recreational development by the Department of Local Government in 1985, actually presented lower risk than any other locality. Antill Creek also proved relatively safe in terms of mosquito-borne infections, whereas Toonpan during the wet season was a place to be avoided. Both Ross River and the environs of Townsville offered intermediate risk, the latter due to large numbers of saltmarsh mosquitoes breeding in intertidal wetlands. 9.5 Snails and swimmer’s itch Schistosome dermatitis, known as swimmer’s itch, is a common global problem for users of recreational swimming areas in water resource developments. The rash is caused by free living larvae called cercariae (Figure 9.4) of parasitic flukes which burrow into exposed parts of the body. Normally the life-cycle involves water birds such as ducks and pulmonate snails, so infection of humans is accidental. A large number of cercariae may penetrate the skin where they die but cause a localized allergic reaction in sensitized persons. In northern Australia, swimmer’s itch (Trichobilharzia) has been traditionally associated with Austropeplea (= Lymnaea) lessoni (= vinosa) although two planorbid snails, Amerianna carinata and Gyraulus stabilis, have also been identified as intermediate hosts in Lake Moondarra near Mt Isa, Queensland. Our recent data implicates Gyraulus gilberti at the Ross River dam. Snails are also commonly infected with other trematode cercariae, mainly echinostomes, strigeids/diplostomids and clinostomids.

1998 ◽  
pp. 148-148
Keyword(s):  
Lower Risk ◽  
The Body ◽  
Northern Australia ◽  
Intermediate Hosts ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
Swimmer’S Itch ◽  
Intertidal Wetlands ◽  
Water Birds ◽  
Swimmer's Itch

scholarly journals New molluscicides in control of freshwater snails – intermediate hosts for causative agents of fascioliasis, paramphistomatosis and orientobilharziasis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. E. Yuldashev ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Hydrogen Peroxide ◽  
Potassium Chloride ◽  
Ammonium Sulfate ◽  
Potassium Permanganate ◽  
Freshwater Snail ◽  
Mineral Fertilizers ◽  
Freshwater Snails ◽  
Table Salt ◽  
Intermediate Hosts ◽  
Causative Agents

The article presents the results of studying the new and affordable means for freshwater snail control. It was found that mineral fertilizers – ammonium sulfate at a concentration of 0.05–0.2%, and potassium chloride at a concentration of 0.2–0.3% cause the death of snails of the genera Lymnae and Planorbis in 24–72 hours after application. Hydrogen peroxide at a concentration of 1:40000 and potassium permanganate at a concentration of 1:400000 also kill snails within 24–48 hours. Commonly available products also have pronounced molluscicidal action: table salt (NaCl) and baking soda (NaHCO3) at concentrations of 0.3–0.5%. Changing the pH in the habitat of snails, i.e. waters in snail biotopes, towards acidity (3.8–6.2) and alkalinity (8.0–8.4) also result in the death of snails, and the optimal environment is with pH = 7.8. These means are safe for animals and the environment, as evidenced by the results of experiments carried out on sheep, which were administered with molluscicide solutions forcibly using a probe in an amount of 1.5 liters and by free drinking for 3 days.

scholarly journals Invaders as Diluents of the Cercarial Dermatitis Etiological Agent

Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 740
Author(s):  
Anna Stanicka ◽  
Łukasz Migdalski ◽  
Katarzyna Szopieray ◽  
Anna Cichy ◽  
Łukasz Jermacz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alien Species ◽  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Feeding Habits ◽  
Dilution Effect ◽  
Intermediate Hosts ◽  
Protection Measures ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Bird Schistosome ◽  
Swimmer’S Itch ◽  
Swimmer's Itch

Research on alien and invasive species focuses on the direct effects of invasion on native ecosystems, and the possible positive effects of their presence are most often overlooked. Our aim was to check the suitability of selected alien species (the snail Physa acuta, the bivalve Dreissena polymorpha, and the gammarid Dikerogammarus villosus) as diluents for infectious bird schistosome cercariae—the etiological factor of swimmer’s itch. It has been hypothesized that alien species with different feeding habits (scrapers, filterers and predators) that cohabit the aquatic environment with intermediate hosts of the schistosomatid trematodes are capable of feeding on their free-swimming stages—cercariae. In the laboratory conditions used, all experimental animals diluted the cercariae of bird schistosome. The most effective diluents were P. acuta and D. villosus. However, a wide discrepancy in the dilution of the cercariae between replicates was found for gammarids. The obtained results confirm the hypothesis that increased biodiversity, even when alien species are involved, creates the dilution effect of the free-living stages of parasites. Determining the best diluent for bird schistosome cercariae could greatly assist in the development of current bathing areas protection measures against swimmer’s itch.

scholarly journals The genus Bilharziella vs. other bird schistosomes in snail hosts from one of the major recreational lakes in Poland

2021 ◽  
pp. 12
Author(s):  
Anna Stanicka ◽  
Łukasz Migdalski ◽  
Kamila Stefania Zając ◽  
Anna Cichy ◽  
Dorota Lachowska-Cierlik ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lymnaea Stagnalis ◽  
Special Importance ◽  
Intermediate Hosts ◽  
Sensitive Skin ◽  
Infective Larvae ◽  
Bird Schistosome ◽  
Blood Flukes ◽  
European Water ◽  
Swimmer’S Itch ◽  
Swimmer's Itch

Bird schistosomes are commonly established as the causative agent of swimmer's itch − a hyper-sensitive skin reaction to the penetration of their infective larvae. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of the genus Bilharziella in comparison to other bird schistosome species from Lake Drawsko − one of the largest recreational lakes in Poland, struggling with the huge problem of swimmer's itch. In total, 317 specimens of pulmonate snails were collected and examined. The overall digenean infection was 35.33%. The highest bird schistosome prevalence was observed for Bilharziella sp. (4.63%) in Planorbarius corneus, followed by Trichobilharzia szidati (3.23%) in Lymnaea stagnalis and Trichobilharzia sp. (1.3%) in Stagnicola palustris. The location of Bilharziella sp. on the presented phylogeny showed that it is with high probability a different species than known so far B. polonica. Our finding complements the confirmed occurrence of bird schistosomes in European water bodies. Overall, presented research reveals the special importance of P. corneus as a source of the bird schistosome cercariae. This study suggests that the health threat connected with the blood flukes need to be further investigated by constant monitoring of their occurrence in intermediate hosts.

scholarly journals A mathematical model for the control of swimmer's itch

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
J. P. Peirce ◽  
J. J. Pellett ◽  
G. J. Sandland
Keyword(s):  
Mathematical Model ◽  
Swimmer’S Itch ◽  
Swimmer's Itch

scholarly journals Do algae blooms dilute the risk of trematode infections in threespine sticklebacks?

2015 ◽  
Vol 61 (6) ◽  
pp. 991-995 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandre Budria ◽  
Ulrika Candolin
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Gasterosteus Aculeatus ◽  
Infected Fish ◽  
The Body ◽  
Filamentous Algae ◽  
Intermediate Hosts ◽  
Diplostomum Pseudospathaceum ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Trematode Infections ◽  
Macro Algae

Abstract Human-induced growth of macro-algae is often assumed to increase trematode infections in fishes by increasing the abundance and condition of the parasite’s intermediate host – snails – as this can boost the release of trematode larvae, cercariae, from the intermediate hosts. However, macro-algae can also impose barriers to the transmission of cercariae and reduce infections. We investigated whether an increased growth of filamentous algae affects the transmission of Diplostomum pseudospathaceum cercariae to the threespine stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus, a common fish in eutrophied shallow waters. We exposed sticklebacks to trematode cercariae in the absence and presence of artificial filamentous algae, and recorded effects on the proportion of sticklebacks infected and the number of encysted metacercariae per fish. No significant effect of artificial algae on cercariae transmission was detected. However, the body size and the sex of the sticklebacks were strongly correlated with the number of encysted metacercariae per infected fish, with females and larger individuals being more infected. We discuss different factors that could have caused the difference in parasite transmission, including sex-related differences in body size and behaviour of sticklebacks.

scholarly journals Agents of swimmer’s itch—dangerous minority in the Digenea invasion of Lymnaeidae in water bodies and the first report of Trichobilharzia regenti in Poland

2018 ◽  
Vol 117 (12) ◽  
pp. 3695-3704 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Marszewska ◽  
Tomasz Strzała ◽  
Anna Cichy ◽  
Grażyna B. Dąbrowska ◽  
Elżbieta Żbikowska
Keyword(s):  
Water Bodies ◽  
First Report ◽  
Swimmer’S Itch ◽  
Swimmer's Itch ◽  
Trichobilharzia Regenti
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