PREVALENCIA E IDENTIFICACIÓN DE MOLUSCOS LYMNEIDOS TRANSMISORES DE FASCIOLA HEPATICA LINNAEUS, 1758 (PLATYHELMINTHES, TREMATODA), EN LA COMUNIDAD SAN MARTÍN DE LA PARROQUIA COLUMBE, CANTÓN COLTA, PROVINCIA DE CHIMBORAZO, ECUADOR

Abstract

Fasciolasis is a disease that causes economic losses in the livestock sector, with an estimated value of 3,000 million dollars annually worldwide, it is caused by Fasciola hepatica Linnaeus, 1758, which causes serious liver damage to grazing animals. This disease needs an intermediate host, who can only be the mollusks of the Lymnaeidae family and a definitive host (grazing animals or man). The objective of the research was to identify the Lymneid mollusks transmitting F. hepatica in San Martin of the Columbe parish, Chimborazo province, Ecuador to describe the morphological characteristics of the mollusks, establish the characteristics of the biotopes and determine the prevalence of both in mollusks infested with larval stages of the parasite, cattle parasitized with F. hepatica . A field sampling was carried out and information was collected to characterize the biotope, the morphological characteristics of the mollusks found in the study area, consequently, the prevalence of larval stages of F. hepatica in mollusks and of the parasite in the bovine population. , the results were with respect to the biotope, it was found in a high Andean community at 3152 masl, average temperature of 8 ° C, soil with a pH of 6, the soil was found covered by Kikuyo plant species ( Pennisetum clandestinum Hochst. ex Chiov, 1903), followed by dandelion ( Taraxacum officinale (L.) Weber ex FHWigg. 1780), forage plantain ( Plantago sp. Linnaeus, 1753) and watercress ( Nasturtium officinale WT Aiton, 1812), with presence of wetlands. The morphometry of the shell and the reproductive system are closely related to the species Galba cousini Jousseaume, 1887. The percentage of infested mollusks was quantified at 57% and the prevalence in bovines was 85%. The mollusk population corresponds to G. cousini , the studied scenario turned out to be optimal for the development of the biological cycle of F. hepatica .