Amphistome Infection and Species Diversity of Freshwater Snails Collected from Selected Wildlife Drinking Water Sources in Matebeleland Region of Zimbabwe
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Date
2024-05-13
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Vet. Sci.
Abstract
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Amphistomes, also known as rumen flukes, are parasites of domestic and wild ruminants and occur globally. Adult parasites are found in the forestomach, and the young flukes are found in the small intestines, causing severe damage. The flukes are transmitted by various species of freshwater snails. While the disease is well documented in domestic ruminants, there are gaps in knowledge pertaining to wild ruminants with regard to the fluke species as well as the snail species which transmit them. Therefore, freshwater snails were surveyed from 19 water points that are frequented by wild ruminants in the Matebeleland region, Zimbabwe. Snails were found at nine sites, and eight species were identified and screened for rumen fluke DNA to determine the fluke species and prevalence of infection. Rumen fluke DNA was detected in 11.9% of the screened snails. Prevalence was high in the West Nicholson locality and in Bulinus globosus snail species. One rumen fluke species, i.e., Calicophoron microbothrium, was confirmed in one snail species and there were also mixed infections with lung fluke parasite, Paragonimus spp., in two snail species. This was the first study documenting the presence of this lung fluke in Zimbabwe.
Abstract
This study aimed at determining the identity of freshwater snails collected from selected water habitats frequented by wildlife as source of drinking water in the Matebeleland region of Zimbabwe and further screening the identified snails for natural infections with amphistomes using PCR. A total of 487 freshwater snails were collected from six areas in the Matebeleland region of Zimbabwe for identification and screening of amphistome infection. Eight freshwater snail species were morphologically identified and Biomphalaria pfeifferi, Bul. tropicus, Bul. truncatus, Bul. globosus, and L. (R.) natalensis were confirmed using the COI gene. Bulinus tropicus and Phy. acuta were the most abundant species at 33.9% (165/487) and 31.2% (155/487), respectively. DNA of amphistome was detected in 11.9% (58/487) of the collected snails. The highest infection rate was detected in Bul. globosus (44.4%). West Nicholson recorded the highest infection rate (33.9%), and infection was not detected in L. (R.) natalensis, Phy. acuta, and Bellamya spp. Amphistome DNA from M. tuberculata was successfully sequenced and identified as Calicophoron microbothrium. An additional band was detected in M. tuberculata, Bul. tropicus, and Bul. trancatus, which showed a 96.42% similarity to Paragonimus sp. sequence in the GenBank.
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Sibula, M.S.; Malatji, M.P.; Nyahunda, C.; Mukaratirwa, S. Amphistome Infection and Species Diversity of Freshwater Snails Collected from Selected Wildlife Drinking Water Sources in Matebeleland Region of Zimbabwe. Vet. Sci. 2024, 11, 211. https:// doi.org/10.3390/vetsci11050211