Environmental DNA-based xenomonitoring for determining Schistosoma presence in tropical freshwaters.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease that infects over 200 million people worldwide. Control measures can benefit from improved surveillance methods in freshwaters, with environmental DNA (eDNA) surveys having the potential to offer effective and rapid detection of schistosomes. However, sampling eDNA directly from natural water bodies can lead to inaccurate estimation of infection risk if schistosome eDNA is rare in the environment. Here we report a xenomonitoring method that allows schistosome infections of host snail species to be determined from eDNA in water used to house those snails.

Methods

Host snail species were collected and placed in containers of water and allowed to shed cercariae, and then water samples were filtered and tested using qPCR

SUBMITTER: Alzaylaee H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7017522 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature