Snail Survey in Water Canals for Detecting Their Infection with Parasitic Trematodes in Al-Fayoum Governorate, Egypt

Abstract

Freshwater snails have significant consideration as they may act as intermediate hosts of several parasitic infections, mainly trematodes that may cause serious diseases in humans and domestic animals. In Egypt, these are most notably schistosomiasis and fascioliasis. The aim of this study is to survey and examine fresh water snails in some water courses of rural districts at Al-Fayoum governorate for the presence of parasitic infective stages. Eight different watercourses were involved in this study. Snail sampling was conducted seasonally between spring 2018 to winter 2019. Eleven Trematode species of fresh water snails were detected in the chosen watercourses, out of them only 5 speies were naturally infected with trematodes, (e.g. B.alexandrina with Schistosoma mansoni, B. trancatus with S. haematobium). Informationgained from such studies supposed to help in giving indication on the risk sites and times where the snail vectors of trematodes should be attacked.