Guangxi University Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Biology, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.
Guangxi Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine in Liver Injury and Repair, The Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical University, Guilin, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.
Parasit Vectors. 2024 Nov 30;17(1):496. doi: 10.1186/s13071-024-06591-0.
Snails of the genus Bithynia, whose primary habitat is slow-flowing ponds and ditches, serve as the first intermediate hosts of liver fluke. Currently, approximately 200 million individuals worldwide are at risk of liver fluke infection, yet questions still persist regarding the taxonomic identification of Bithynia genus, a crucial player in the transmission of this disease. Accurate taxonomic classification of the Bithynia genus could significantly enhance current understanding of the disease's transmission mechanisms. In this article we comprehensively review the extensive research conducted on Bithynia genus, spanning past inquiries up to the latest findings. The primary emphasis is placed on exploring the taxonomic identification of this genus within various technological settings. We then present a consolidated analysis of the morphological taxonomic identification methods, highlighting their strengths and limitations. We also introduce a novel perspective on the future direction of identification and classification efforts for the members of this genus, emphasizing the crucial role Bithynia plays in the epidemiological cycle of liver fluke transmission. We conclude by urging researchers to prioritize the significance of the members of this genus in the epidemiological cycle of liver fluke transmission and in control measures for disease dissemination, within the context of the vector organisms.
钉螺属的蜗牛，其主要栖息地是流速缓慢的池塘和沟渠，是肝吸虫的第一中间宿主。目前，全球约有 2 亿人面临肝吸虫感染的风险，但对于在该疾病传播中起关键作用的钉螺属的分类鉴定仍存在疑问。准确的钉螺属分类可以显著提高对该疾病传播机制的理解。本文全面综述了对钉螺属的广泛研究，涵盖了过去的研究到最新的发现。主要重点是在各种技术环境下探索该属的分类鉴定。然后，我们对形态分类鉴定方法进行了综合分析，强调了它们的优点和局限性。我们还提出了一种新的观点，即探讨该属成员的未来鉴定和分类方向，强调钉螺在肝吸虫传播的流行病学循环中的重要作用。最后，我们敦促研究人员重视钉螺属成员在肝吸虫传播的流行病学循环以及控制疾病传播的媒介生物中的重要性。
