Gastropod invasions in anthropogenically impacted impoundments in South Africa: tracing their origins and exploring field evidence of parasite spillback and amplification
Int J Parasitol. 2024 Mar 5:S0020-7519(24)00050-X. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2024.02.004. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTInvasive snails are associated with ecological problems in freshwater bodies worldwide. However, their impact on the transmission of digenean infections remain underreported. In the present study, 1708 specimens representing four snail species were sampled from four impoundments in the Limpopo River system in South Africa. Gyraulus chinensis (Planorbidae), Physella acuta (Physidae) and Pseudosuccinea columella (Lymnaeidae), which are invasive, were found in all the sampling sites. In contrast, the native lymnaeid Radix natalensis occurred at only one study site. Digeneans were observed only from R. natalensis (prevalence = 49%) and Ps. columella (prevalence = 23%). Morphological and genetic analyses revealed four digeneans: Fasciola nyanzae, Orientocreadium sp., Petasiger sp. and Patagifer vioscai. Pseudosuccinea columella was infected by the four digeneans while R. natalensis harboured only Orientocreadium sp. and Petasiger sp. Partial sequences of Orientocreadium sp. from the current study differed from congeners whose DNA data are available on GenBank, by p-distances of at least 1.84 and 2.2% for 28S and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rDNA, respectively. Phylogenetic analyses demonstrated that the present species is sister to Orientocreadium batrachoides. Genetic and phylogenetic data based on 28S and ITS rDNA suggested that Petasiger sp. from the pres...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - Category: Parasitology Authors: James Omondi Outa Parthi Bhika Annemari รจ Avenant-Oldewage Source Type: research
More News: African Health | Argentina Health | Australia Health | Canada Health | China Health | Colombia Health | Czechia Health | Egypt Health | Fasciolosis | Gastroenterology | Genetics | Hong Kong Health | Hungary Health | Iceland Health | Kenya Health | Mexico Health | Mitochondrial Disease | Parasitic Diseases | Parasitology | Portugal Health | South Africa Health | Study | Zimbabwe Health