Diversity of digenean trematode larvae in snails from Lake Victoria, Kenya: First reports and bioindicative aspects

Abstract

This study investigated the occurrence of digenean trematode larvae in snails from the Kenyan part of Lake Victoria. The survey included caenogastropod snails that have received less focus in parasitological studies in Africa: their trematodes are largely unknown. Out of 1145 snail specimens, 149 (13.0%) were infected with Digenea. The highest prevalence (P) was recorded in Melanoides tuberculata (64.5%), followed by Pila ovata (15.4%), Radix natalensis (9.5%), Bulinus ugandae (9.1%), Bellamya unicolor (8.9%), Biomphalaria pfeifferi (7.3%) and Biomphalaria sudanica (4.4%). Morphological and molecular analyses revealed 17 digenean species. Contrary to reports of low diversity of Digenea in caenogastropods, P. ovata harboured 8 species – at least twice as many as in each of the pulmonates. The following taxa are reported for the first time in the Lake Victoria region: Haplorchis pumilio, Thapariella prudhoei, Nudacotyle sp., Renicola sp. and Bolbophorus sp. An unknown cercaria belonging to the genus Haematoloechus is reported from P. ovata: a xiphidiocercaria possessing a long sword-shaped stylet (47–71 µm) which does not match any available literature records. From this study, H. pumilio from M. tuberculata (P = 69.4%), Fasciola gigantica from R. natalensis (P = 1.9%) and Bolbophorus sp. from Bu. ugandae (P = 4.6%) are species of veterinary or medical importance. Snails from the study site with little direct anthropogenic influence had the highest prevalence and diversity of digenean larvae, indicating that environmental conditions influence trematode occurrence.