Preliminary Survey of Larval Trematodes in Freshwater Snails of Phitsanulok Province in Lower Northern Thailand

Jiranun  Ardpairin; Abdulhakam  Dumidae; Chanakan  Subkrasae; Saengchai  Nateeworanart; Aunchalee  Thanwisai; Apichat  Vitta

doi:10.18502/ijpa.v17i2.9545

Jiranun Ardpairin Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
Abdulhakam Dumidae Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
Chanakan Subkrasae Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
Saengchai Nateeworanart Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
Aunchalee Thanwisai Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
Apichat Vitta Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ijpa.v17i2.9545

Keywords: Cercaria; Freshwater snail; Intermediate host; Trematode; Thailand

Abstract

Background: Freshwater snails serve as intermediate hosts for a variety of trematodes that cause illness in the human and animal populations. Several species of freshwater snails in Thailand have been found to have larval trematode infections. We aimed to investigate a freshwater snail in Phitsanulok Province and report on its current status of larval trematode infection.

Methods: Freshwater snails were collected from six localities (rice field and irrigation canal) by handpicking and using a count per unit of time sampling approach. The snails were identified by their external shell morphology. The shedding method was applied to observe the cercariae, which were photographed under a light microscope to determine their morphological types.

Results: A total of 211 snails were classified into seven genera. The most abundant snail species was Lymnaea sp., representing 31.3% of the sample, followed by Physella sp., Bithynia sp., Pomacea canaliculata, Filopaludina martensi, Indoplanorbis exustus, and Melanoides tuberculata, in that order. From the sample, 21 snails (9.95%), including Bithynia sp., Lymnaea sp., I. exustus, and M. tuberculata, were infected with cercarial trematodes, which could be categorized into four types, namely amphistome, parapleurolophocercous, echinostome, and xiphidiocercaria. Amphistome emerged from Bithynia sp., and I. exustus was the most common cercaria to be recovered, representing 80.9% of all infected snails.

Conclusion: This study presents the current prevalence of cercariae in infected snails within the studied area. It is important to manage intermediate host snails in order to restrict trematode life cycle completion.