Confirmation of the presence of zoonoticTrichobilharzia frankifollowing a human cercarial dermatitis outbreak in recreational water in Slovakia

0537463 - BC 2021 RIV DE eng J - Journal Article
Gulyas, K. - Soldánová, Miroslava - Orosová, M. - Oros, M.
Confirmation of the presence of zoonoticTrichobilharzia frankifollowing a human cercarial dermatitis outbreak in recreational water in Slovakia.
Parasitology Research. Roč. 119, č. 8 (2020), s. 2531-2537. ISSN 0932-0113. E-ISSN 1432-1955
R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GJ17-20936Y
Institutional support: RVO:60077344
Keywords : larval trematodes digenea * bird schistosomes * swimmers itch * intermediate hosts * avian schistosomes * planorbid snails * central-europe * risk-factors * lake * identification * Cercariae * Cercarial dermatitis * Bird schistosomes * Trematodes * Trichobilharzia * Zoonosis
OECD category: Ecology
Impact factor: 2.289, year: 2020
Method of publishing: Limited access
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00436-020-06751-y

Human cercarial dermatitis is a parasitic disease that causes an allergic reaction in the skin (swimmer's itch) as a consequence of contact with cercariae of bird schistosomes present in water, mainly of the genusTrichobilharziaSkrjabin et Zakarow, 1920. The main objective of the study was to confirm the presence of the zoonotic disease agent following reports of human infections in recreational water in Slovakia. We identified two species of freshwater snails at Kosice Lake,Radix auricularia(Linnaeus, 1758) andPhysa acuta(Draparnaud, 1805). Trematode infections were observed only inR. auricularia. Of the 62 snails collected, 11 (17.7%) were infected with 5 different species of larval stages of trematodes. The blood flukeTrichobilharzia frankiwas found in 2 (3.2%) of the examined snails. The present record provides the first evidence thatT.frankifrom the pulmonate snailR. auriculariarepresents a source of human cercarial dermatitis in recreational water in Slovakia. Our finding complements the easternmost records of both swimmer's itch and the confirmed occurrence of a bird schistosome in a waterbody in Europe. The present work suggests that the health risks associated with trichobilharziasis need to be further studied by detailed monitoring of the occurrence of the major causative agent of human cercarial dermatitis,T.franki.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0315236