Uni gets on trail of snail fever solution Professors head up research into parasitic infection
Pioneering research led by the University of Stirling could play a vital role in reducing the prevalence of‘snail fever’ – a debilitating infection that affects more than 200 million people worldwide.
The infection – also known as schistosomiasis or bilharzia – is caused by a parasite that lives in fresh water in subtropical and tropical regions, including areas of Africa, South America, the Caribbean, the Middle East and Asia.
Humans are typically infected through parasite-hosting snails and the majority of people infected tend to be children or the elderly.
A research team is now investigating how the snails – and ultimately the spread of infection – can be controlled by boosting the populations of native snail predators using aquaculture.
Professor Rachel Norman and Professor Dave Little, of Stirling’s
Faculty of Natural Sciences, are principal investigators on the project, which also involves a range of international partners.
Professor Norman said: “Populations of schistosomiasiscarrying snails are increasing as their habitat expands through the installation of dams in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa and South America. Significantly, as well as enhancing their living environment, the dams also prevent their natural predators – which are often already overfished – from reaching the growing populations.
“The long-term eradication of the disease relies on controlling snail numbers. Our research will consider a sustainable longerterm biological control strategy – protecting predator populations and using aquaculture – to limit snail numbers.”
Disease caused by the schistosome worm can be disabling, and can include organ failure, bowel cancer and an increase in the chances of contracting HIV/AIDS.
The new project – funded by the Belmont Forum – will focus on Brazil, which suffers the highest schistosomiasis rate in the Americas, and Cote d’Ivoire, which also has a high disease prevalence.
Professor Little added said: “We don’t expect there to be a one-size-fits-all approach to eradicating schistosomiasis in Brazil and the Ivory Coast but this type of control – using natural predator population enhancement – can be an effective tool in the fight against this infection.”
Long-term eradication of this disease relies on controlling snail numbers