Distribution and habitats of the Bulinus africanus species group, snail intermediate hosts of Schistosoma haematobium and Schistosoma mattheei in South Africa

Abstract

As intermediate host of Schistosoma haematobium and S. mattheei , the Bulinus africanus group plays a major role in the transmission of urinary and bovine schistosomiasis, diseases that negatively affect the health status of millions of people and their livestock in South Africa. Bulinus spp. can also play a role in the transmission of cercarial dermatitis (swimmer’s itch) caused by the immune reaction of incompatible hosts to the penetration of cercariae of non-human schistosomes. This can cause considerable discomfort to humans bathing in infested waters. This article focuses on the geographical distribution and habitats of this group as reflected by the samples taken from 2 930 collection sites on record in the database of the National Freshwater Snail Collection (NFSC) at the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University. The 414 different loci ( 1/16-degree squares) on record, reflect an extensive distribution from the western parts of the North-West to Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal Provinces and the coastal areas of the Eastern Cape Province.

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