Abstract
Despite the epidemiological importance of the Lymnaeidae family regarding transmission of Fasciola hepatica, knowledge about the diversity and distribution of these molluscs and the role of each species in the expansion of fasciolosis remains sparse. Classical morphological (n=10) identification was performed in lymneids from Lagoa Santa, a municipality in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, along with molecular and phylogenetic analysis (n=05) based on the partial nucleotide sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (COI mtDNA) and ribosomal internal transcribed spacer II (ITS-2 rDNA). The shell morphology made it possible to distinguish the lymneids of Lagoa Santa from Pseudosuccinea columella. Differences found in the penile complex and prostate shape allowed this species to be distinguished from Galba truncatula. However, the homogeneity of reproductive tract characteristics among Lymnaea (Galba) cubensis, L. viator and L. neotropica confirmed that these characteristics show low taxonomic reliability for identifying cryptic species. Genetic divergence analysis for the COI mtDNA gene and ITS-2 region of rDNA revealed greater similarity to Lymnaea (Galba) cubensis. Thus, correct species differentiation is important for monitoring the epidemiological risk of fasciolosis in the state of Minas Gerais, where cases of the disease have increased over recent years.
Highlights
The etiological agent of fasciolosis, Fasciola hepatica (Linnaeus, 1758), is a trematode of the family Fasciolidae that parasitizes the liver and bile ducts of various domestic and wild mammalian species such as cattle, sheep, goats, horses and humans (Boray, 1969)
The lymneid molluscs used in this study were collected from the edges of the Lagoa Santa lake, in the municipality of Lagoa Santa, which is located within the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais (19°38’54.2”S; 43°54’39.2” W)
With a genetic distance (GD) for c oxidase subunit I (COI) of 4%, taken as the cutoff value to define Lymnaeidae species, the analysis suggested that Lymnaea (Galba) cubensis and Lymnaea neotropica are co-specific (GD = 2.43%)
Summary
The etiological agent of fasciolosis, Fasciola hepatica (Linnaeus, 1758), is a trematode of the family Fasciolidae that parasitizes the liver and bile ducts of various domestic and wild mammalian species such as cattle, sheep, goats, horses and humans (Boray, 1969). There have been reports of autochthonous cases of fasciolosis in buffaloes in São José da Lapa and Pedro Leopoldo (Dracz & Lima, 2014) and of naturally infected cattle and molluscs in the southern part of the state (Itajubá and Careaçu) (Lima et al, 2009). Fasciolosis has been founding in capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) living in the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte, the capital of Minas Gerais (Dracz et al, 2016). These rodents live close to freshwater overlapping the area of occurrence with the lymneids molluscs - intermediate hosts of F. hepatica. Because of capybaras’ seasonal migration, there is a real risk of dispersal of F. hepatica in Minas Gerais
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
