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Aestivation and its impact on the survival of snail intermediate hosts and trematode transmission in rice paddies

Part of: Helminths and their molluscan hosts: updates and remaining challenges

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 March 2025

K. Chantima Open the ORCID record for K. Chantima [Opens in a new window] ,
K. Suk-ueng Open the ORCID record for K. Suk-ueng [Opens in a new window] ,
T. Tananoi  and
T. Prasertsin Open the ORCID record for T. Prasertsin [Opens in a new window]
K. Chantima*
Affiliation:
Environmental Science and Technology Program, Faculty of Science and Technology, Chiang Rai Rajabhat University, Chiang Rai, Thailand
K. Suk-ueng
Affiliation:
Environmental Science and Technology Program, Faculty of Science and Technology, Chiang Rai Rajabhat University, Chiang Rai, Thailand
T. Tananoi
Affiliation:
Environmental Science and Technology Program, Faculty of Science and Technology, Chiang Rai Rajabhat University, Chiang Rai, Thailand
T. Prasertsin
Affiliation:
Biological Science Program, Faculty of Science and Technology, Chiang Rai Rajabhat University, Chiang Rai, Thailand
*
Corresponding author: K. Chantima; Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

In this study, we investigated the diversity and survival of aestivating snails in dry-season rice paddies, focusing on their role as intermediate hosts for trematodes. A total of 1,159 snails from various families were collected and analysed, revealing nine species, primarily from the Bithyniidae family, with Bithynia siamensis siamensis being the most abundant. Of the nine species collected, the most common species, B. s. siamensis, exhibited a relatively high survival rate of 81.5% throughout the three-month dry period post-harvest, whereas the remaining eight species had survival rates below 24.0% (0–23.1%). Four snail species, B. s. siamensis, Filopaludina martensi martensi, F. sumatrensis polygramma, and F. doliaris, were found infected with larval trematodes, with an overall prevalence of 8.46% (57/674). The larval trematodes identified were categorized into four types: echinostome metacercaria, Thapariella anastomusa metacercaria, unidentified metacercaria, and unidentified rediae. These findings demonstrate that trematode infections can persist in aestivating snails despite the challenging conditions during the dry season, emphasizing the potential of aestivating snails to act as vectors for trematode transmission in agricultural settings. This underscores the need for effective management strategies to mitigate the risks associated with trematode transmission.

Keywords

Aestivationdry season-rice paddysnail intermediate hosttransmissiontrematode
Type
Research Paper
Information
Journal of Helminthology , Volume 99 , 2025 , e43
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press

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