Biological control of Biomphalaria tenagophila (Mollusca, Planorbidae), a schistosomiasis vector, using the fish Geophagus brasiliensis (Pisces, Cichlidae) in the laboratory or in a seminatural environment
In order to investigate a possible method of biological control of schistosomiasis, we used the fish Geophagus brasiliensis (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824) which is widely distributed throughout Brazil, to interrupt the life cycle of the snail Biomphalaria tenagophila (Orbigny, 1835), an intermediate hos...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde
1990-03-01
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| Series: | Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0074-02761990000100005 |
| Summary: | In order to investigate a possible method of biological control of schistosomiasis, we used the fish Geophagus brasiliensis (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824) which is widely distributed throughout Brazil, to interrupt the life cycle of the snail Biomphalaria tenagophila (Orbigny, 1835), an intermediate host of Schistosoma mansoni. In the laboratory, predation eliminated 97.6% of the smaller snails (3-8 mm shell diameter) and 9.2% of the larger ones (12-14 mm shell diameter). Very promising results were also obtained in a seminatural environment. Studies of this fish in natural snail habitats should be further encouraged. |
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| ISSN: | 0074-0276 1678-8060 |