Introgression in Lake Malaŵi: increasing the threat of human urogenital schistosomiasis?
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
For the last 15 years, we have studied the relationships among cichlid snail-eating fishes, intermediate snail-host density, and the prevalence of human infection of Schistosoma haematobium in Lake Malaŵi and concluded that the increase of human infection is correlated with the decrease in snail-eating fishes in the shallow waters of the lake. We postulated that a strain of S. haematobium from other parts of Africa, which was introduced into the Cape Maclear region of Lake Malaŵi by tourists, was compatible with Bulinus nyassanus-which is a close relative of B. truncatus, and interbred with the indigenous strain of S. haematobium, which ultimately produced via introgression a strain that can use both B. globosus and B. nyassanus as intermediate hosts. This actively evolving situation involving intermediate snail-host switching and decline of Trematocranus placodon, a natural cichlid snail predator, will impact on transmission of urogenital schistosomiasis within the local communities and on tourists who visit Lake Malaŵi.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Journal | EcoHealth |
Volume | 11 |
Issue number | 2 |
Pages (from-to) | 251-254 |
Number of pages | 4 |
ISSN | 1612-9202 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2014 |
ID: 66980579