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...
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MDPI AG
2023-03-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/5/4895 |
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| author | Ming Fung Franco Au Gray A. Williams Jerome H. L. Hui |
| author_facet | Ming Fung Franco Au Gray A. Williams Jerome H. L. Hui |
| author_sort | Ming Fung Franco Au |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | 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. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:21:31Z |
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| issn | 1661-6596 1422-0067 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:21:31Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-627d657724ec4575b92ceb7128db31072023-11-17T07:54:53ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences1661-65961422-00672023-03-01245489510.3390/ijms24054895Status Quo and Future Perspectives of Molecular and Genomic Studies on the Genus <i>Biomphalaria</i>—The Intermediate Snail Host of <i>Schistosoma mansoni</i>Ming Fung Franco Au0Gray A. Williams1Jerome H. L. Hui2School of Life Sciences, Simon F.S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, Institute of Environment, Energy and Sustainability, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, ChinaThe Swire Institute of Marine Science and School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, ChinaSchool of Life Sciences, Simon F.S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, Institute of Environment, Energy and Sustainability, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, ChinaSchistosomiasis, 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.https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/5/4895ecologyevolutionimmune responsehost–parasite interactioninvasive speciesphylogeny |
| spellingShingle | Ming Fung Franco Au Gray A. Williams Jerome H. L. Hui 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> International Journal of Molecular Sciences ecology evolution immune response host–parasite interaction invasive species phylogeny |
| title | 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> |
| title_full | 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> |
| title_fullStr | 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> |
| title_full_unstemmed | 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> |
| title_short | 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> |
| title_sort | 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 |
| topic | ecology evolution immune response host–parasite interaction invasive species phylogeny |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/5/4895 |
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