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Parasitic infections in mixed system-based heliciculture farms: dynamics and key epidemiological factors

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2013

P. SEGADE ,
J. GARCÍA-ESTÉVEZ ,
C. ARIAS  and
R. IGLESIAS
P. SEGADE
Affiliation:
Laboratorio de Parasitología, Facultad de Biología, Edificio de Ciencias Experimentales, Campus de Lagoas-Marcosende s/n, Universidad de Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain
J. GARCÍA-ESTÉVEZ
Affiliation:
Laboratorio de Parasitología, Facultad de Biología, Edificio de Ciencias Experimentales, Campus de Lagoas-Marcosende s/n, Universidad de Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain
C. ARIAS
Affiliation:
Laboratorio de Parasitología, Facultad de Biología, Edificio de Ciencias Experimentales, Campus de Lagoas-Marcosende s/n, Universidad de Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain
R. IGLESIAS*
Affiliation:
Laboratorio de Parasitología, Facultad de Biología, Edificio de Ciencias Experimentales, Campus de Lagoas-Marcosende s/n, Universidad de Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain
*
*Corresponding author: Laboratorio de Parasitología, Facultad de Biología (Edificio de Ciencias Experimentales), Campus de Lagoas-Marcosende s/n, Universidad de Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain. Tel: +34 986812394. Fax: +34 986812565. E-mail: rib@uvigo.es
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Summary

Heliciculture is an excellent alternative to obtain edible snails but its viability is seriously threatened by pathogens. A parasitological survey was conducted in 3 mixed system-based heliciculture farms in Galicia (NW Spain), with the species Tetrahymena rostrata, Tetrahymena limacis, Tetratrichomonas limacis, Cryptobia helicogenae, Brachylaima aspersae (metacercariae and sporocysts), Alloionema appendiculatum, Nemhelix bakeri, and Riccardoella limacum being commonly found infecting Helix aspersa aspersa (petit-gris) snails. With the exception of C. helicogenae, N. bakeri, and B. aspersae sporocysts, all species were also detected in Helix aspersa maxima (gros-gris) snails, although generally with lower parameters. Most monoxenous infections, and consequently multiple parasitism, exhibited a rising trend during the first 2 months of intensive mating, with tendencies being slowed down or even reversed during the third month as a result of accumulated mortality and a sampling-derived reduction in host density. No parasites were vertically transmitted and infections were initially acquired from invading gastropod and micromammal reservoirs during fattening. Finally, artificial hibernation reduced significantly the prevalence of most species. These results confirm the importance of parasites in heliciculture and emphasize the need to prevent the entry of wild reservoirs into the farms and to rapidly remove the carcasses of dead snails from the reproduction units and fattening pens.

Keywords

ParasitesHelix aspersa aspersaHelix aspersa maximainfection dynamicsreservoirsheliciculture
Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 140 , Issue 4 , April 2013 , pp. 482 - 497
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013

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