Status Quo and Future Perspectives of Molecular and Genomic Studies on the Genus <i>Biomphalaria</i>—The Intermediate Snail Host of <i>Schistosoma mansoni</i>
Schistosomiasis, or also generally known as bilharzia or snail fever, is a parasitic disease that is caused by trematode flatworms of the genus <i>Schistosoma</i>. It is considered by the World Health Organisation as the second most prevalent parasitic disease after malaria and affects m...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-03-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/5/4895 |
| Summary: | Schistosomiasis, or also generally known as bilharzia or snail fever, is a parasitic disease that is caused by trematode flatworms of the genus <i>Schistosoma</i>. It is considered by the World Health Organisation as the second most prevalent parasitic disease after malaria and affects more than 230 million people in over 70 countries. People are infected via a variety of activities ranging from agricultural, domestic, occupational to recreational activities, where the freshwater snails <i>Biomphalaria</i> release <i>Schistosoma</i> cercariae larvae that penetrate the skin of humans when exposed in water. Understanding the biology of the intermediate host snail <i>Biomphalaria</i> is thus important to reveal the potential spread of schistosomiasis. In this article, we present an overview of the latest molecular studies focused on the snail <i>Biomphalaria</i>, including its ecology, evolution, and immune response; and propose using genomics as a foundation to further understand and control this disease vector and thus the transmission of schistosomiasis. |
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| ISSN: | 1661-6596 1422-0067 |