Hostname: page-component-745bb68f8f-l4dxg Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-01-11T15:03:48.680Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Spatial and temporal heterogeneity in the population dynamics of Bulinus globosus and Biomphalaria pfeifferi and in the epidemiology of their infection with schistosomes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

M. E. J. Woolhouse  and
S. K. Chandiwana
M. E. J. Woolhouse
Affiliation:
Department of Pure and Applied Biology, Imperial College, Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2BB and Department of Biological Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, P.O. Box MP 167, Mount Pleasant, Harare, ZW
S. K. Chandiwana
Affiliation:
Blair Research Laboratories, P.O. Box 8105, Causeway, Harare, ZW
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Populations of Bulinus globosus and Biomphalaria pfeifferi were studied in a river habitat in Zimbabwe over a period of 12 months. Data were obtained on the prevalences of infections of Schistosoma haematobium (also S. mattheei) and S. mansoni respectively. Population parameters showed the following patterns for both snail species. (1) A patchy distribution correlated with the distributions of aquatic plants. (2) Life-expectancies of only a few weeks. (3) Recruitment rates correlated with water temperature and showing a distinct seasonal peak. (4) Spatial variation in recruitment. (5) A redistribution of snails during the rainy season. Epidemiological parameters showed the following patterns. (1) Large seasonal variations in the prevalence of patent infections. (2) Evidence from size-prevalence curves that suggests a variable force-of-infection from man to snail, correlated with water temperature. (3) Prevalences of infection that were higher in the vicinity of (±60 m from) major water contact sites. Local prevalences of infection for B. globosus sometimes exceeded 50% and may have approached 100% if pre-patent infections are included. Snail numbers may limit transmission at these locations. Attention is drawn to the need to make field observations at an appropriate spatial scale and also to the implications for the effectiveness of focal snail control as a means of reducing transmission.

Keywords

Bulinus globosusBiomphalaria pfeifferipopulation dynamicsepidemiologySchistosoma haematobiumSchistosoma mansoni
Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 98 , Issue 1 , February 1989 , pp. 21 - 34
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1989

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Anderson, R. M. & Crombie, J. (1984). Experimental studies of age-prevalence curves for Schistosoma mansoni infections in populations of Biomphalaria glabrata. Parasitology 89, 79–104.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Anderson, R. M. & May, R. M. (1979). Prevalence of schistosome infections within molluscan populations: observed patterns and theoretical predictions. Parasitology 79, 63–94.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Babiker, A., Fenwick, A., Duffalla, A. A. & Amin, M. A. (1985). Focality and seasonality of Schistosoma mansoni transmission in the Gezira Irrigated Area, Sudan. Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 88, 57–63.Google ScholarPubMed
Barbour, A. D. (1978). Macdonald's model and the transmission of bilharzia. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 72, 6–15.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Barbour, A. D. (1982). Schistosomiasis. In Population Dynamics of Infectious Diseases, (ed. Anderson, R. M.), pp. 180–208. London: Chapman & Hall.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brown, D. S. (1980). Freshwater Snails of Africa and their Medical Importance, ch. 10. London: Taylor & Francis.Google Scholar
Chandiwana, S. K. (1986). How Schistosoma mansoni eggs reach natural water bodies. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 80, 963–4.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chandiwana, S. K. (1987). Community water contact patterns and the transmission of Schistosoma haematobium in the highveld region of Zimbabwe. Social Science and Medicine 25, 495–505.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chandiwana, S. K., Christensen, N. O. & Frandsen, F. (1987). Seasonal patterns in the transmission of Schistosoma haematobium, S. mattheei and S. mansoni in the highveld region of Zimbabwe. Acta Tropica 44, 433–44.Google ScholarPubMed
Chandiwana, S. K., Taylor, P. & Clarke, V. De V. (1988). Prevalence and intensity of schistosomiasis in two rural areas in Zimbabwe and their relationship to village location and snail infection rates. Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology 82, 163–73.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Frandsen, F. & Christensen, N. O. (1984). An introductory guide to the identification of cercariae from African freshwater snails with special reference to cercariae of trematode species of medical and veterinary importance. Acta Tropica 41, 181–202.Google Scholar
Klumpp, R. K. & Chu, K. Y. (1977). Ecological studies of Bulinus rohlfsi, the intermediate host of Schistosoma haematobium in the Volta Lake. Bulletin of the World Health Organization 55, 715–30.Google ScholarPubMed
Mahon, R. J. & Shiff, C. J. (1978). Electrophoresis to distinguish Schistosoma haematobium and S. mattheei cercaria emerging from Bulinus snails. Journal of Parasitology 64, 372–3.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Makiya, K., Tanaka, H., Banez, E. A., Blas, B. L., Kumada, N. & Santos, A. T. Jr. (1981). Population studies on Oncomelania quadrasi, the snail intermediate host of Schistosoma japonicum in the Philippines. Japanese Journal of Experimental Medicine 51, 179–85.Google ScholarPubMed
Marti, H. (1986). Field observations on the population dynamics of Bulinus globosus, the intermediate host of Schistosoma haematobium, in the Ifakara area, Tanzania. Journal of Parasitology 72, 119–24.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Marti, H., Tanner, M., Degremont, A. A. & Freyvogel, T. A. (1985). Studies on the ecology of Bulinus globosus, the intermediate host of Schistosoma haematobium in the Ifakara area, Tanzania. Acta Tropica 42, 171–87.Google ScholarPubMed
O'Keefe, J. H. (1985). Population biology of the freshwater snail Bulinus globosus on the Kenya coast. I. Population fluctuations in relation to climate. Journal of Applied Ecology 22, 73–84.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pesigan, T. P., Hairston, N. G., Jauregui, J. J., Garcia, E. G., Santos, A. T., Santos, B. C. & Besa, A. A. (1958). Studies on Schistosoma japonicum infection in the Philippines. 2. The molluscan host. Bulletin of the World Health Organization 18, 481–578.Google ScholarPubMed
Shiff, C. J. (1964 a). Studies on Bulinus (Physopsis) globosus in Rhodesia. I. – The influence of temperature on the intrinsic rate of increase. Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology 58, 94–105.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shiff, C. J. (1964 b). Studies on Bulinus (Physopsis) globosus in Rhodesia. II. – Factors influencing the relationship between age and growth. Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology 58, 106–15.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Shiff, C. J. (1964 c). Studies on Bulinus (Physopsis) globosus in Rhodesia. III. – Bionomics of a natural population existing in a temporary habitat. Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology 58, 240–55.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shiff, C. J., Coutts, W. C. C., Yiannakis, C. & Holmes, R. w. (1979). Seasonal patterns in the transmission of Schistosoma haematobium in Rhodesia, and its control by winter application of molluscicide. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 73, 375–80.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Shiff, C. J., Evans, A., Yiannakis, C. & Eardley, M. (1975). Seasonal influence on the production of Schistosoma haematobium and S. mansoni cercaria in Rhodesia. International Journal for Parasitology 5, 119–23.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sokal, R. R. & Rohlf, S. J. (1981). Biometry. San Francisco: Freeman.Google Scholar
Sturrock, B. M. (1966). The influence of infection with Schistosoma mansoni on the growth rate and reproduction of Biomphalaria pfeifferi. Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology 60, 187–97.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sturrock, B. M. (1967). The effect of infection with Schistosoma haematobium on the growth and reproduction rates of Bulinus (Physopsis) nasutus productus. Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology 61, 321–5.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sturrock, R. F. & Webbe, G. (1971). The application of catalytic models to schistosomiasis in snails. Journal of Helminthology 45, 189–200.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Torrance, J. D. (1981). Climate Handbook of Zimbabwe. Harare: Department of Meteorological Services.Google Scholar
Webbe, G. (1962). The transmission of Schistosoma haematobium in an area of Lake Province, Tanganyika. Bulletin of the World Health Organization 27, 59–85.Google Scholar
Woolhouse, M. E. J. (1986). An evaluation of mark-recapture methods for the study of schistosomiasis. In Report O.D. 88: Schistosomiasis Control at Mushandike Irrigation Scheme, pp. 7·1–7·7. Wallingford, U.K.: Hydraulics Research.Google Scholar
Woolhouse, M. E. J. (1988 a). Passive dispersal of Bulinus globosus. Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology 82, 315–17.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Woolhouse, M. E. J. (1988 b). A mark-recapture method for ecological studies of schistosomiasis vector snail populations. Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology 82, 485–97.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed