Epidemiology of Fasciola hepatica infection in the Paraíba river valley, São Paulo, Brasil

Abstract

The study revealed that although Lymnaea columella and Stenophysa marmorata were found in the same habitat, only L. columella harbored intramolluscan stages of F. hepatica. The population density of L. columella cyclically decreased between September and February, and increased from March to September. The drought that occurred between June and November 1981 dramatically reduced the number of snails collected. Larger snails were collected in March–July and November–December, while the smaller snails were collected in January–February and August–October, suggesting that there may be two generations of L. columella per year. The highest prevalence levels of infection in L. columella were: first year, June 8.82%, September 9.09% and October 10.52%; second year, March 6.25% and April 6.89%; third year, July 7.69%, August 10.25%, April 17.91% and May 13.91.%. Results obtained with tracer sheep showed that the largest numbers of metacercariae were on pasture between June and October, and between March and April, but the infection was present during most of the year.