First Molecular Identification of <i>Bulinus africanus</i> in Lake Malawi Implicated in Transmitting <i>Schistosoma</i> Parasites
The freshwater snail genus <i>Bulinus</i> plays a vital role in transmitting parasites of the <i>Schistosoma haematobium</i> group. A hybrid schistosome between <i>S. haematobium</i> and <i>S. mattheei</i> has been recently detected using DNA-based ide...
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MDPI AG
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2414-6366/7/8/195 |
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| author | Mohammad H. Alharbi Cynthia Iravoga Sekeleghe A. Kayuni Lucas Cunningham E. James LaCourse Peter Makaula J. Russell Stothard |
| author_facet | Mohammad H. Alharbi Cynthia Iravoga Sekeleghe A. Kayuni Lucas Cunningham E. James LaCourse Peter Makaula J. Russell Stothard |
| author_sort | Mohammad H. Alharbi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The freshwater snail genus <i>Bulinus</i> plays a vital role in transmitting parasites of the <i>Schistosoma haematobium</i> group. A hybrid schistosome between <i>S. haematobium</i> and <i>S. mattheei</i> has been recently detected using DNA-based identification methods in school children along the Lake Malawi shoreline in Mangochi District. This finding raised the need for contemporary revaluation of local interactions between schistosomes and snails, with a particular focus on snail species within the <i>Bulinus africanus</i> group. In 2017 and 2018, malacological surveys sampled several freshwater sites in Mangochi District. Collected snails (<i>n</i> = 250) were characterised using cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 gene (<i>cox</i>1), with DNA barcoding of the ‘Folmer’ region and a rapid PCR-RFLP typing assay with double digestion with <i>Hae</i>III and <i>Sac</i>I restriction enzymes. DNA <i>cox</i>1 sequence analysis, with phylogenetic tree construction, suggested the presence of at least three <i>B. africanus</i> group taxa in Lake Malawi, <i>B. globosus,</i> alongside first reports of <i>B. africanus</i> and <i>B. angolensis,</i> which can be differentiated by PCR-RFLP methods. In addition, a total of 30 of the 106 <i>B. africanus</i> group snails (28.30%) were positive to the <i>Schistosoma</i>-specific screen using real-time PCR methods. This study provides new insight into the recent changes in the epidemiology of urogenital schistosomiasis as likely driven by a new diversity of <i>B. africanus</i> group snails within the Lake. |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2414-6366 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T12:24:45Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease |
| spelling | doaj.art-5b7f0e5a489f4de890ff1ff2d303a9872023-11-30T22:36:13ZengMDPI AGTropical Medicine and Infectious Disease2414-63662022-08-017819510.3390/tropicalmed7080195First Molecular Identification of <i>Bulinus africanus</i> in Lake Malawi Implicated in Transmitting <i>Schistosoma</i> ParasitesMohammad H. Alharbi0Cynthia Iravoga1Sekeleghe A. Kayuni2Lucas Cunningham3E. James LaCourse4Peter Makaula5J. Russell Stothard6Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool L3 5QA, UKDepartment of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool L3 5QA, UKDepartment of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool L3 5QA, UKDepartment of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool L3 5QA, UKDepartment of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool L3 5QA, UKResearch for Health, Environment and Development (RHED), Mangochi P.O. Box 345, MalawiDepartment of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool L3 5QA, UKThe freshwater snail genus <i>Bulinus</i> plays a vital role in transmitting parasites of the <i>Schistosoma haematobium</i> group. A hybrid schistosome between <i>S. haematobium</i> and <i>S. mattheei</i> has been recently detected using DNA-based identification methods in school children along the Lake Malawi shoreline in Mangochi District. This finding raised the need for contemporary revaluation of local interactions between schistosomes and snails, with a particular focus on snail species within the <i>Bulinus africanus</i> group. In 2017 and 2018, malacological surveys sampled several freshwater sites in Mangochi District. Collected snails (<i>n</i> = 250) were characterised using cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 gene (<i>cox</i>1), with DNA barcoding of the ‘Folmer’ region and a rapid PCR-RFLP typing assay with double digestion with <i>Hae</i>III and <i>Sac</i>I restriction enzymes. DNA <i>cox</i>1 sequence analysis, with phylogenetic tree construction, suggested the presence of at least three <i>B. africanus</i> group taxa in Lake Malawi, <i>B. globosus,</i> alongside first reports of <i>B. africanus</i> and <i>B. angolensis,</i> which can be differentiated by PCR-RFLP methods. In addition, a total of 30 of the 106 <i>B. africanus</i> group snails (28.30%) were positive to the <i>Schistosoma</i>-specific screen using real-time PCR methods. This study provides new insight into the recent changes in the epidemiology of urogenital schistosomiasis as likely driven by a new diversity of <i>B. africanus</i> group snails within the Lake.https://www.mdpi.com/2414-6366/7/8/195<i>Schistosoma haematobium</i>urogenital schistosomiasis |
| spellingShingle | Mohammad H. Alharbi Cynthia Iravoga Sekeleghe A. Kayuni Lucas Cunningham E. James LaCourse Peter Makaula J. Russell Stothard First Molecular Identification of <i>Bulinus africanus</i> in Lake Malawi Implicated in Transmitting <i>Schistosoma</i> Parasites Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease <i>Schistosoma haematobium</i> urogenital schistosomiasis |
| title | First Molecular Identification of <i>Bulinus africanus</i> in Lake Malawi Implicated in Transmitting <i>Schistosoma</i> Parasites |
| title_full | First Molecular Identification of <i>Bulinus africanus</i> in Lake Malawi Implicated in Transmitting <i>Schistosoma</i> Parasites |
| title_fullStr | First Molecular Identification of <i>Bulinus africanus</i> in Lake Malawi Implicated in Transmitting <i>Schistosoma</i> Parasites |
| title_full_unstemmed | First Molecular Identification of <i>Bulinus africanus</i> in Lake Malawi Implicated in Transmitting <i>Schistosoma</i> Parasites |
| title_short | First Molecular Identification of <i>Bulinus africanus</i> in Lake Malawi Implicated in Transmitting <i>Schistosoma</i> Parasites |
| title_sort | first molecular identification of i bulinus africanus i in lake malawi implicated in transmitting i schistosoma i parasites |
| topic | <i>Schistosoma haematobium</i> urogenital schistosomiasis |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2414-6366/7/8/195 |
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