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Levitz, S, Standley, C J, Adriko, M, Kabatereine, N B and Stothard, Russell 
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9370-3420
(2013)
'Environmental epidemiology of intestinal schistosomiasis and genetic diversity of Schistosoma mansoni infections in snails at Bugoigo village, Lake Albert.'. Acta Tropica, Vol 128, Issue 2, pp. 284-291.
Abstract
Intestinal schistosomiasis continues to be hyper-endemic in the fishing community of Bugoigo located on the eastern shore of Lake Albert, Uganda. Our study aimed to identify the factors that determine the local distribution and abundance of Biomphalaria, as well as infection(s) with Schistosoma mansoni inclusive of their genetic diversity. In addition, a DNA barcoding approach was taken to genotype schistosome cercariae, exploring the micro-epidemiology of infections. Over a 3-week period in June-July 2010, several hundred Biomphalaria spp. were collected, together with environmental information, from 10 selected sites, representive of both putative wave-exposed (n=5) and wave-sheltered shorelines (n=5). A Mann-Whitney U-test and a generalized linear model were used to assess associations with snail abundance and parasite infections across the shoreline. Levels of local wave action were recorded over the 19-day period using digital accelerometers. The general absence of wave action on the sheltered shoreline likely helped to raise and focalize other environmental parameters, such as water conductivity by lack of mixing, that foster transmission of intestinal schistosomiasis. Over the study period, a total of 10 infected snails were encountered and a selection of schistosome cercariae from each infected snail was harvested for analysis by DNA barcoding. In total, 91 DNA barcodes were generated with 15 unique barcode types identified. Of these, 4 barcodes had been found previously in Lake Albert and (or) Victoria, the remaining 11 were newly encountered here and described. The distribution of DNA barcodes across infected snails and sampled locations revealed a complicated spatial sub-structuring. By shedding new light on the fine-scale patterning of infections, DNA barcoding has revealed a rather heterogeneous landscape of cercariae, likely inclusive of multi-miracidial infections within the snail, which will in turn interplay with human water contact activities to shape the genetic diversity of worm populations within infected people.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Subjects: | QU Biochemistry > Genetics > QU 470 Genetic structures QX Parasitology > Helminths. Annelida > QX 355 Schistosoma QX Parasitology > Insects. Other Parasites > QX 675 Mollusca WA Public Health > Health Problems of Special Population Groups > WA 395 Health in developing countries WA Public Health > Statistics. Surveys > WA 950 Theory or methods of medical statistics. Epidemiologic methods WC Communicable Diseases > Tropical and Parasitic Diseases > WC 810 Schistosomiasis |
| Faculty: Department: | Biological Sciences > Department of Tropical Disease Biology |
| Digital Object Identifer (DOI): | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actatropica.2012.10.003 |
| Depositing User: | Mary Creegan |
| Date Deposited: | 18 Oct 2013 08:36 |
| Last Modified: | 02 Dec 2019 12:52 |
| URI: | https://archive.lstmed.ac.uk/id/eprint/3270 |
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