An accident waiting to happen? Exposing the potential of urogenital schistosomiasis transmission in the Lake Albert region, Uganda
Abstract Background Urogenital schistosomiasis caused by the parasitic blood fluke Schistosoma haematobium is the most common form of that constitutes a majority of over 240 million schistosomiasis cases. The enigmatic absence of urogenital schistosomiasis in Uganda has, until now, been attributed t...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-11-01
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| Series: | Parasites & Vectors |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-023-06017-3 |
| _version_ | 1797637071989374976 |
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| author | Julius Tumusiime Grace Kagoro-Rugunda Casim Umba Tolo Daisy Namirembe Ruben Schols Cyril Hammoud Christian Albrecht Tine Huyse |
| author_facet | Julius Tumusiime Grace Kagoro-Rugunda Casim Umba Tolo Daisy Namirembe Ruben Schols Cyril Hammoud Christian Albrecht Tine Huyse |
| author_sort | Julius Tumusiime |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Urogenital schistosomiasis caused by the parasitic blood fluke Schistosoma haematobium is the most common form of that constitutes a majority of over 240 million schistosomiasis cases. The enigmatic absence of urogenital schistosomiasis in Uganda has, until now, been attributed to the absence of substantial populations of suitable snail intermediate hosts. Methods Malacological surveys were carried out in 73 sites southeast of Lake Albert, Uganda in October and November 2020. Collected snails were transported to the laboratory for identification. The snails were identified using partial mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit one and nuclear internal transcribed spacer barcoding. Schistosome infections in snails were also assessed using cercarial shedding and rapid diagnostic PCR techniques. Results We found Bulinus globosus and Bulinus nasutus productus, the main intermediate species in the transmission of S. haematobium in mainland East Africa. In this survey, B. globosus was more common than B. nasutus productus, with the former reported at four sites (total count = 188) and the latter reported at one site (total count = 79). Molecular testing revealed a high prevalence of Schistosoma bovis in B. nasutus productus (16%), but no S. haematobium infections were found. Conclusions Given the abundance of snail hosts and the risky human water contact behaviours observed, we highlight the potential for urogenital schistosomiasis transmission in the region. Graphical Abstract |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T12:44:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c78bc88b725f4c729f7fb9f1c0170851 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1756-3305 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T12:44:08Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Parasites & Vectors |
| spelling | doaj.art-c78bc88b725f4c729f7fb9f1c01708512023-11-05T12:09:11ZengBMCParasites & Vectors1756-33052023-11-011611810.1186/s13071-023-06017-3An accident waiting to happen? Exposing the potential of urogenital schistosomiasis transmission in the Lake Albert region, UgandaJulius Tumusiime0Grace Kagoro-Rugunda1Casim Umba Tolo2Daisy Namirembe3Ruben Schols4Cyril Hammoud5Christian Albrecht6Tine Huyse7Department of Biology, Mbarara University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Biology, Mbarara University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Biology, Mbarara University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Biology, Mbarara University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Biology, Royal Museum for Central AfricaDepartment of Biology, Royal Museum for Central AfricaDepartment of Biology, Mbarara University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Biology, Royal Museum for Central AfricaAbstract Background Urogenital schistosomiasis caused by the parasitic blood fluke Schistosoma haematobium is the most common form of that constitutes a majority of over 240 million schistosomiasis cases. The enigmatic absence of urogenital schistosomiasis in Uganda has, until now, been attributed to the absence of substantial populations of suitable snail intermediate hosts. Methods Malacological surveys were carried out in 73 sites southeast of Lake Albert, Uganda in October and November 2020. Collected snails were transported to the laboratory for identification. The snails were identified using partial mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit one and nuclear internal transcribed spacer barcoding. Schistosome infections in snails were also assessed using cercarial shedding and rapid diagnostic PCR techniques. Results We found Bulinus globosus and Bulinus nasutus productus, the main intermediate species in the transmission of S. haematobium in mainland East Africa. In this survey, B. globosus was more common than B. nasutus productus, with the former reported at four sites (total count = 188) and the latter reported at one site (total count = 79). Molecular testing revealed a high prevalence of Schistosoma bovis in B. nasutus productus (16%), but no S. haematobium infections were found. Conclusions Given the abundance of snail hosts and the risky human water contact behaviours observed, we highlight the potential for urogenital schistosomiasis transmission in the region. Graphical Abstracthttps://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-023-06017-3Lake AlbertSchistosomiasisEmerging diseaseBulinus globosusBulinus nasutus productusSchistosoma haematobium |
| spellingShingle | Julius Tumusiime Grace Kagoro-Rugunda Casim Umba Tolo Daisy Namirembe Ruben Schols Cyril Hammoud Christian Albrecht Tine Huyse An accident waiting to happen? Exposing the potential of urogenital schistosomiasis transmission in the Lake Albert region, Uganda Parasites & Vectors Lake Albert Schistosomiasis Emerging disease Bulinus globosus Bulinus nasutus productus Schistosoma haematobium |
| title | An accident waiting to happen? Exposing the potential of urogenital schistosomiasis transmission in the Lake Albert region, Uganda |
| title_full | An accident waiting to happen? Exposing the potential of urogenital schistosomiasis transmission in the Lake Albert region, Uganda |
| title_fullStr | An accident waiting to happen? Exposing the potential of urogenital schistosomiasis transmission in the Lake Albert region, Uganda |
| title_full_unstemmed | An accident waiting to happen? Exposing the potential of urogenital schistosomiasis transmission in the Lake Albert region, Uganda |
| title_short | An accident waiting to happen? Exposing the potential of urogenital schistosomiasis transmission in the Lake Albert region, Uganda |
| title_sort | accident waiting to happen exposing the potential of urogenital schistosomiasis transmission in the lake albert region uganda |
| topic | Lake Albert Schistosomiasis Emerging disease Bulinus globosus Bulinus nasutus productus Schistosoma haematobium |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-023-06017-3 |
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