title: Natural prevalence in Cuban populations of the lymnaeid snail Galba cubensis infected with the liver fluke Fasciola hepatica: small values do matter.
abstract: Natural infections of lymnaeid snails by Fasciola hepatica are of primary importance to study transmission. Also, infected snails in the field can be used to explore the existing compatibility in host-parasite interactions. This paper aimed to describe the infection rate of Galba cubensis populations in fasciolosis transmission areas. Eight sites were sampled in western Cuba and 24 infected snails at six sites were found. The mean prevalence was 2.94% and the maximum value was 11.4%. The intensity of parasite infection was assessed as the number of rediae inside a single snail. High variation within the sites examined was observed, but a maximum of 76 rediae was recovered from one individual. Although the presence of two other trematode families (Schistosomatidae and Paramphistomatidae) was discovered in dissected individuals, no co-infection with F. hepatica was observed. This is the first time a study of natural prevalence of F. hepatica infection is carried out in Cuba, considered a hyper endemic country for bovine fasciolosis. Our results suggest that fasciolosis transmission may occur even when the number of infected snails remains relatively low.
authors.affiliation: MIVEGEC, UMR IRD 224 CNRS 5290 UM, 911 Avenue Agropolis, BP 64501, 34394, Montpellier Cedex 5, France. antonivp@ipk.sld.cu.|Laboratorio de Malacología, Instituto de Medicina Tropical Pedro Kourí, Apartado Postal 601, Marianao 13, La Habana, Cuba. antonivp@ipk.sld.cu.
authors.forename: Antonio A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Vázquez
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Malacología, Instituto de Medicina Tropical Pedro Kourí, Apartado Postal 601, Marianao 13, La Habana, Cuba.
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sánchez
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Malacología, Instituto de Medicina Tropical Pedro Kourí, Apartado Postal 601, Marianao 13, La Habana, Cuba.
authors.forename: Annia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alba
authors.affiliation: USR 3278 CNRS-EPHE, Criobe Universite de Perpignan, 66860, Perpignan, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Pointier
authors.affiliation: MIVEGEC, UMR IRD 224 CNRS 5290 UM, 911 Avenue Agropolis, BP 64501, 34394, Montpellier Cedex 5, France.|Département de Biologie-Ecologie, (Faculté des Sciences)- cc 046- Université Montpellier, 4 Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095, Montpellier Cedex 5, France.
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hurtrez-Boussès
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission*; D003462:Cuba / Q000453:epidemiology; D005210:Fasciola hepatica / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D005211:Fascioliasis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission* / Q000662:veterinary; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D006801:Humans; D008195:Lymnaea / Q000469:parasitology*; D010250:Paramphistomatidae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015995:Prevalence; D012551:Schistosomatidae / Q000302:isolation & purification
keywords: Fasciola hepatica; Galba cubensis; Natural infection; Parasite transmission