title: An interactive map to assess the potential spread of Lymnaea truncatula and the free-living stages of Fasciola hepatica in Switzerland.
abstract: The intermediate host of Fasciola hepatica is Lymnaea truncatula in Switzerland. The snail and the free-living stages of the parasite require a moderate climate and moisture for survival, reproduction, and transmission. In Switzerland, these conditions are present in many regions, resulting in a mean prevalence of bovine fasciolosis from 8.4 to 21.4%. An interactive map was created in order to demonstrate the relative risk of transmission by modelling the environmental conditions that promote the survival and reproduction of the larval stages of the parasite and the parasite's intermediate host. The map is based on temperature and rainfall data, soil conditions including ground water and forest cover in Switzerland. Extensive information on the free-living stages of F. hepatica and the intermediate host L. truncatula and how the development of these are affected by these environmental factors was used to create the interactive risk map.
authors.affiliation: Vetsuisse Faculty Zurich, Department of Farm Animals, Winterthurerstrasse 260, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rapsch
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dahinden
authors.forename: Dominik
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Heinzmann
authors.forename: Paul R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Torgerson
authors.forename: Ueli
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Braun
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Deplazes
authors.forename: Lorenz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hurni
authors.forename: Hansruedi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bär
authors.forename: Gabi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Knubben-Schweizer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003710:Demography; D005210:Fasciola hepatica / Q000502:physiology*; D005211:Fascioliasis / Q000453:epidemiology; D008195:Lymnaea / Q000469:parasitology*; D008377:Maps as Topic; D008954:Models, Biological; D012307:Risk Factors; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology; D014584:User-Computer Interface