title: Zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) parasites: potentially useful bioindicators of freshwater quality?
abstract: In environmental quality bioassessment studies, analysis of host-parasite interactions may well be a valuable alternative to classical macroinvertebrate sampling approaches. Herein, we investigated whether zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) parasites could be useful biomonitoring tools. Mussel populations were sampled twice at two sites in northeastern France representing different levels of contamination and were characterized for parasite infection following standard histological methods. Our results indicated that sites of different environmental quality (i.e. chemical contamination) exhibited different parasite communities characterized by different trematode species and parasite associations. An additional significant finding was the positive correlation established between the prevalence of Rickettsiales-like organisms and metal contamination. Multivariate analyses were valuable in examining parasite communities.
authors.affiliation: Université Paul Verlaine-Metz, Laboratoire des Interactions, Ecotoxicologie, Biodiversité, Ecosystèmes (LIEBE), CNRS UMR 7146, Campus Bridoux, Metz, France.
authors.forename: Laëtitia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Minguez
authors.forename: Daniel P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Molloy
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guérold
authors.forename: Laure
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Giambérini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016798:Ciliophora / Q000472:pathogenicity; D049875:Dreissena / Q000469:parasitology*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005602:France; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000469:parasitology*; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D012287:Rickettsiaceae / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014200:Trematoda / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical