Opportunity or catastrophe? effect of sea salt on host-parasite survival and reproduction

This study examined the effect o f artificial seawater on host-parasite interactions using a freshwater snail host,Biomphalaria alexandrina, and the human trematode parasiteSchistosoma mansoni. To evaluate the impact of increasing salinity on disease transmission four variables were analyzed: snail survival, snail reproduction, infection prevalence, and the survival of the parasite infective stage (cercariae). We found a decrease in snail survival, snail egg mass production, and snail infection prevalence as salinity increases. However, cercarial survival peaked at an intermediate salinity value. Our results suggest that seawater intrusion into freshwaters has the potential to decrease schistosome transmission to humans.
Source: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases - Category: Tropical Medicine Authors: Source Type: research