National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention; Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, MOH ; National Center for International Research on Tropical Diseases, Ministry of Science and Technology; WHO Collaborating Centre for Tropical Diseases, Shanghai, 200020, China.
Department of Pure & Applied Zoology, Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta, Abeokuta, Nigeria.
Infect Dis Poverty. 2018 Mar 26;7(1):29. doi: 10.1186/s40249-018-0401-z.
Snail intermediate hosts play active roles in the transmission of snail-borne trematode infections in Africa. A good knowledge of snail-borne diseases epidemiology particularly snail intermediate host populations would provide the necessary impetus to complementing existing control strategy.
This review highlights the importance of molecular approaches in differentiating snail hosts population structure and the need to provide adequate information on snail host populations by updating snail hosts genome database for Africa, in order to equip different stakeholders with adequate information on the ecology of snail intermediate hosts and their roles in the transmission of different diseases. Also, we identify the gaps and areas where there is need for urgent intervention to facilitate effective integrated control of schistosomiasis and other snail-borne trematode infections.
Prioritizing snail studies, especially snail differentiation using molecular tools will boost disease surveillance and also enhance efficient schistosomaisis control programme in Africa.
在非洲，蜗牛中间宿主在传播蜗牛传播的吸虫感染中发挥着积极作用。了解蜗牛传播疾病的流行病学，特别是蜗牛中间宿主种群，将为补充现有控制策略提供必要的动力。
本综述强调了分子方法在区分蜗牛宿主种群结构中的重要性，以及通过更新非洲蜗牛宿主基因组数据库为蜗牛宿主种群提供足够信息的必要性，以便为不同利益攸关方提供有关蜗牛中间宿主生态学及其在传播不同疾病中的作用的足够信息。此外，我们确定了需要紧急干预的差距和领域，以促进血吸虫病和其他蜗牛传播的吸虫感染的有效综合控制。
优先开展蜗牛研究，特别是使用分子工具进行蜗牛分化，将有助于加强疾病监测，并提高非洲血吸虫病控制计划的效率。
