Status Quo and Future Perspectives of Molecular and Genomic Studies on the Genus Biomphalaria-The Intermediate Snail Host of Schistosoma mansoni.
Int J Mol Sci
; 24(5)2023 Mar 03.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-36902324
ABSTRACT
Schistosomiasis, or also generally known as bilharzia or snail fever, is a parasitic disease that is caused by trematode flatworms of the genus Schistosoma. It is considered by the World Health Organisation as the second most prevalent parasitic disease after malaria and affects more than 230 million people in over 70 countries. People are infected via a variety of activities ranging from agricultural, domestic, occupational to recreational activities, where the freshwater snails Biomphalaria release Schistosoma cercariae larvae that penetrate the skin of humans when exposed in water. Understanding the biology of the intermediate host snail Biomphalaria is thus important to reveal the potential spread of schistosomiasis. In this article, we present an overview of the latest molecular studies focused on the snail Biomphalaria, including its ecology, evolution, and immune response; and propose using genomics as a foundation to further understand and control this disease vector and thus the transmission of schistosomiasis.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Health context:
2_ODS3
/
3_ND
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Schistosomiasis
/
Biomphalaria
/
Schistosomiasis mansoni
Limits:
Animals
/
Humans
Language:
En
Journal:
Int J Mol Sci
Year:
2023
Document type:
Article