Abstract
Background: The giant African snail, Achatina fulica, is an invasive species recognized for being a serious agricultural pest and an intermediary vector for diverse parasites that cause diseases in humans. The knowledge of the state of African snail populations in urban areas is of great ecological and public health importance. Therefore, our objective was to characterize the status of giant African snail populations present in the city of Cartagena, Colombia, including the assessment of nematode parasites in the specimens. Methods. Sites were visited following information from citizens affected by the presence of the African snail. The specimens were collected and transported to the laboratory; subsequently, they were weighed, measured, and classified by size. Dissections of lung tissue and soft organs were performed to search for and identify nematode parasites. Size measurement between the sampled sites was statistically compared and density and biomass indicators were established. Results. In total, 204 snails were collected distributed among four sites within Cartagena city. Of these, 50% were juvenile specimens (10-40 mm). The size of the specimens showed significant differences between the sampling areas. The calculated density was between 0.0019-0.68 ind/m 2 and the biomass between 3.92-48.75 kg/ha. No presence of nematode parasites was observed in these specimens. Conclusions. Densities and biomasses of A. fulica in Cartagena do not reach levels considered highly harmful. On the other hand, although no parasites were found in these snails, it is relevant to continue with studies on the human health risks that represent the presence of this invasive species in urban areas of Cartagena.
Highlights
IntroductionYes Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the results?
The authors mention the first citation of Achatina fulica in Colombia for 2010, in 2009 it had already been cited by Borrero et al (2009, Tentacle N ° 17).○ In Table 1 you must indicate if it is the total number of individuals collected.○ For further parasitological studies on snails, the authors should use other techniques for the observation of larvae, in addition to those used here.Are all the source data underlying the results available to ensure full reproducibility?Yes Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the results? Yes Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed
R EV IS ED Amendments from Version 1. In this version we have corrected the year of the first report of the giant African snail in Colombia, we have provided more details on the collection methods, data analysis, and the characteristics of the sites where the snails were found
Summary
Yes Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the results? Yes Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed. The giant African snail, Achatina fulica, is an invasive species recognized for being a serious agricultural pest and an intermediary vector for diverse parasites that cause diseases in humans. Our objective was to characterize the status of giant African snail populations present in the city of Cartagena, Colombia, including the assessment of nematode parasites in the specimens. Size measurement between the sampled sites was statistically compared and density and biomass indicators were established. 204 snails were collected distributed among four sites within Cartagena city. No presence of nematode parasites was observed in these specimens. Densities and biomasses of A. fulica in Cartagena do not reach levels considered highly harmful. No parasites were found in these snails, it is relevant to continue with version 2 (revision)
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