scholarly journals Potamopyrgus antipodarumas a potential defender against swimmer’s itch in European recreational water bodies—experimental study

PeerJ ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. e5045 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Marszewska ◽  
Anna Cichy ◽  
Jana Bulantová ◽  
Petr Horák ◽  
Elżbieta Żbikowska
Keyword(s):  
Water Bodies ◽  
Snail Species ◽  
Snail Population ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Host Snail ◽  
Bird Schistosome ◽  
Working People ◽  
Swimmer’S Itch ◽  
Swimmer's Itch ◽  
Resistance To Invasion

Swimmer’s itch is a re-emerging human disease caused by bird schistosome cercariae, which can infect bathing or working people in water bodies. Even if cercariae fail after penetrating the human skin, they can cause dangerous symptoms in atypical mammal hosts. One of the natural methods to reduce the presence of cercariae in the environment could lie in the introduction of non–host snail species to the ecosystem, which is known as the “dilution” or “decoy” effect. The caenogastropodPotamopyrgus antipodarum—an alien in Europe—could be a good candidate against swimmer’s itch because of its apparent resistance to invasion by European bird schistosome species and its high population density. As a pilot study on this topic, we have carried out a laboratory experiment on howP. antipodaruminfluences the infestation of the intermediate hostRadix balthica(a native lymnaeid) by the bird schistosomeTrichobilharzia regenti. We found that the co–exposure of 200P. antipodarumindividuals per oneR. balthicato theT. regentimiracidia under experimental conditions makes the infestation ineffective. Our results show that a non–host snail population has the potential to interfere with the transmission of a trematode via suitable snail hosts.

scholarly journals The chemotactic swimming behavior of bird schistosome miracidia in the presence of compatible and incompatible snail hosts

PeerJ ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. e9487
Author(s):  
Anna Marszewska ◽  
Anna Cichy ◽  
Jana Bulantová ◽  
Petr Horák ◽  
Elżbieta Żbikowska
Keyword(s):  
Tap Water ◽  
Parasite Prevalence ◽  
Snail Host ◽  
Swimming Behavior ◽  
Snail Species ◽  
Host Snail ◽  
Bird Schistosome ◽  
Swimmer’S Itch ◽  
Secretory Products ◽  
Swimmer's Itch

No effective method has yet been developed to prevent the threat posed by the emerging disease—cercarial dermatitis (swimmer’s itch), caused by infective cercariae of bird schistosomes (Digenea: Schistosomatidae). In our previous studies, the New Zealand mud snail—Potamopyrgus antipodarum (Gray, 1853; Gastropoda, Tateidae)—was used as a barrier between the miracidia of Trichobilharzia regenti and the target snails Radix balthica. Since the presence of non-indigenous snails reduced the parasite prevalence under laboratory conditions, we posed three new research questions: (1) Do bird schistosomes show totally perfect efficacy for chemotactic swimming behavior? (2) Do the larvae respond to substances emitted by incompatible snail species? (3) Do the excretory-secretory products of incompatible snail species interfere with the search for a compatible snail host? The experiments were carried out in choice-chambers for the miracidia of T. regenti and T. szidati. The arms of the chambers, depending on the variant, were filled with water conditioned by P. antipodarum, water conditioned by lymnaeid hosts, and dechlorinated tap water. Miracidia of both bird schistosome species chose more frequently the water conditioned by snails—including the water conditioned by the incompatible lymnaeid host and the alien species, P. antipodarum. However, species-specific differences were noticed in the behavior of miracidia. T. regenti remained more often inside the base arm rather than in the arm filled with water conditioned by P. antipodarum or the control arm. T. szidati, however, usually left the base arm and moved to the arm filled with water conditioned by P. antipodarum. In conclusion, the non-host snail excretory-secretory products may interfere with the snail host-finding behavior of bird schistosome miracidia and therefore they may reduce the risk of swimmer’s itch.

scholarly journals Can Potamopyrgus antipodarum (Gastropoda) affect the prevalence of Trichobilharzia szidati in Lymnaea stagnalis populations?

2021 ◽  
pp. 15
Author(s):  
Elżbieta Żbikowska ◽  
Anna Stanicka ◽  
Anna Cichy ◽  
Janusz Żbikowski
Keyword(s):  
Lymnaea Stagnalis ◽  
Dilution Effect ◽  
Potamopyrgus Antipodarum ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Snail Species ◽  
Host Snail ◽  
Swimmer’S Itch ◽  
Good Potential ◽  
Swimmer's Itch ◽  
Zoonotic Parasites

Swimmer's itch is an emerging disease caused by bird schistosomes affecting people all over the world. Lymnaeidae − main host snails in Europe − are the source of harmful cercariae of these zoonotic parasites. The aim of this work was to determine whether Polish lakes, inhabited by Potamopyrgus antipodarum (Gray, 1843), result in a lower potential risk of swimmer's itch compared to lakes uninhabited by this non-native snail species. As a result of the dilution effect created by increasing the diversity of co-occurring non-host targets for miracidia, the risk of this zoonosis may be reduced. We studied the prevalence of digenean trematodes in Lymnaea stagnalis (Linnaeus, 1758) populations from 30 water bodies partly inhabited by P. antipodarum. The bird schistosome infection in snail hosts was found in five lakes inhabited and 11 lakes uninhabited by the non-native snails. The prevalence of these parasitesin host snail populations in the lakes uninhabited was significantly higher than in lakes inhabited by P. antipodarum. We conclude that P. antipodarum seems to be a good potential target for reducing the risk of swimmer's itch via the dilution effect. We expect from our point of view to stimulate a discussion on the use of this species to protect bathing areas against the threat of swimmer's itch.

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

scholarly journals Epidemiological studies of Fasciola gigantica infections in cattle in the highveld and lowveld communal grazing areas of Zimbabwe

2006 ◽  
Vol 73 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
D.M. Pfukenyi ◽  
Pfukenyi Mukaratirwa ◽  
A.L. Willingham ◽  
J. Monrad
Keyword(s):  
Intermediate Host ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Aquatic Vegetation ◽  
Climatic Factors ◽  
Fasciola Gigantica ◽  
Snail Species ◽  
Snail Population ◽  
Adult Cattle ◽  
Host Snail ◽  
Faecal Samples

During the period between January 1999 and December 2000, the distribution and seasonal patterns of Fasciola gigantica infections in cattle in the highveld and lowveld communal grazing areas of Zimbabwe were determined through monthly coprological examination. Cattle faecal samples were collected from 12 and nine dipping sites in the highveld and lowveld communal grazing areas respectively. Patterns of distribution and seasonal fluctuations of the intermediate host-snail populations and the climatic factors influencing the distribution were also determined by sampling at monthly intervals for a period of 24 months (November 1998 to October 2000) in six dams and six streams in the highveld and in nine dams in the lowveld communal grazing areas. Each site was sampled for relative snail density and the vegetation cover and type, physical and chemical properties of water, and mean monthly rainfall and temperature were recorded. Aquatic vegetation and grass samples 0-1 m from the edges of the snail habitats were collected monthly to determine the presence or absence of F. gigantica metacercariae. Snails collected at the same time were individually checked for the emergence of larval stages of F. gigantica. A total of 16 264 (calves 5 418; weaners 5 461 and adults 5 385) faecal samples were collected during the entire period of the study and 2 500 (15.4 %) of the samples were positive for F. gigantica eggs. Significantly higher prevalences were found in the highveld compared to the lowveld (P < 0.001), for adult cattle than calves ( P < 0.01) and in the wet season over the dry season (P < 0.01). Faecal egg output peaked from August / September to March / April for both years of the study. Lymnaea natalensis, the snail intermediate host of F. gigantica was recorded from the study sites with the highveld having a significantly higher abundance of the snail species than the lowveld (P < 0.01). The snail population was low between December and March and started to increase in April reaching a peak in September / October. The number of juvenile snails peaked between April and August. The mean number of snails collected was negatively correlated with rainfall and positively correlated with temperature. Mean number of snails collected was also positively correlated with Potamogeton plant species and negatively correlated with Cyperus plant species. However, none of the L. natalensis collected from the habitats were found shedding Fasciola cercariae. Metacercariae were found on herbage from the fringes of the snail habitats between February and August for both years, with most of the metacercariae concentrated on herbage 0-1 m from the banks of the habitats. Based on the findings of this study, anthelmintic treatment should be administered in December / January to control chronic and mature fasciolosis. A second treatment should be given in April / May to reduce pasture contamination and subsequently snail infection, as this is the time the snail population starts to build up. To control acute fasciolosis due to the immature liver flukes a third treatment should be given in August. The first application of molluscicides to control the snail intermediate hosts can be done in June the time when the snail is harbouring the parasite and a second application in September in order to kill new generations of infected snails.

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.

Thermal preferences of bird schistosome snail hosts increase the risk of swimmer's itch

2018 ◽  
Vol 78 ◽  
pp. 22-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elżbieta Żbikowska ◽  
Anna Marszewska
Keyword(s):  
Bird Schistosome ◽  
Swimmer’S Itch ◽  
Swimmer's Itch ◽  
Thermal Preferences

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

Swimmer’s Itch

2008 ◽  
pp. 1375-1375 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Swimmer’S Itch ◽  
Swimmer's Itch
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document