#Melanoides tuberculata

[rattyexplores]

Photo 1 - Melanoides tuberculata / Photo 2 - Physella acuta

Two types of snails found in a drainage ditch.

17/09/23 - Gastropoda spp.

QLD:BRB - Townsville, suburban drainage ditch

[uncharismatic-fauna]

trick or treat!

Here's a red-rimmed melania (Melanoides tuberculata)!

[biomedres]

Freshwater Snails Infection Status and Predisposing Risk Factors to Schistosomiasis in Doma Local Government Area, Nasarawa State, Nigeria

Freshwater Snails Infection Status and Predisposing Risk Factors to Schistosomiasis in Doma Local Government Area, Nasarawa State, Nigeria in Biomedical Journal of Scientific & Technical Research

https://biomedres.us/fulltexts/BJSTR.MS.ID.005963.php

The transmission of trematode parasites is actively aided by snail intermediate hosts. Therefore, this study investigated 17 water bodies in Doma LGA, Nasarawa State, Nigeria for Snails intermediate host as well as the factors that predisposes the communities to schistosomiasis infection in the area between August and October, 2019. The water bodies were visited weekly in the morning hours for the collection of snails using hand-held scooping net as well as handpicking from vegetation around for a period of 30 minutes and then taken to the laboratory for sorting and further processing. The snails were morphologically identified and screened for cercaria infection by exposure to sunlight for 2 hours in a petri-dish that contains distilled water and also crushing and microscopically checking for cercaria. A well-structured questionnaire was administered to members of the communities around the studied water bodies in order to collect data relating to the risk factors that predisposes the community to schistosomiasis. A total of 308 snails were collected from the water bodies which spread across five different species of snails: Bulinus globosus, Bulinus forskalii, Biomphalaria pfeifferi, Lymnae natalensis and Melanoides tuberculata. The predominant snail species was B. globosus. Therefore, the abundance between snail species collected at Doma LGA showed a very high significant difference (2 = 312.03, df = 4, P < 0.0001). Zero prevalence of cercaria was observed in the snails. The knowledge level of the people is relatively poor since most of the respondents 211 (41.4%) had contact with contaminated water and 102 (33%) of them drink unsafe water. A good number of the respondent’s source for water source from the tap 313 (61.4%). Majority of the respondents 233 (45.7%) make use of pit laterine in their homes and most of them stay in close proximity to water bodies 326 (63.9%). About half of the respondents 210 (41.2%) have contact with water bodies once a week and at most time in the morning hours 164 (32.2%) for the purpose of washing/laundry 189 (37.1%). About 40% of them had experienced blood in their urine in the time past. Only 122 (23.9%) of the respondents had previously been treated for schistosomiasis, while an ample number of the respondents 388 (76.1%) have never been treated for the disease and as such are unaware of their status. In conclusion, the absence of cercaria infection in the snails which are known intermediate hosts of causative agents of schistosomiasis suggests that communities in the study area are presently not at risk of schistosomiasis. Observation from responses indicated that the communities maintain a good level of hygienic condition which have militated against the spread of the disease making the site non-endemic to schistosomiasis. Thus, the sanitation lifestyle by the people in the area should be sustained.

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[wildguppies]

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Biotope in my study, a low-tech natural aquarium

Posted on September 27, 2009 by tuncali



Bitope in my study. A low-tech natural aquarium. Click on to view the bigger picture.

Like natural garden ponds this aquarium has no filter, no heater, no artificial light, no electrical equipment at all. It is a silent aquarium, a piece of real tranquility. It receives natural sunlight directly from the window. The temperature may drop to 16°C in winter, and rise up to 28°C in summer, but no problem; the inhabitants are suitably selected subtropical species. The marginal plants, especially the umbrella plants (Cyperus alternifolius) keep the water much cleaner than any manmade filter can. Because the nitrate and phosphate levels are so low that they are practically immeasurable, even direct sun light for a couple of hours doesn’t cause algal blooms. Size of the tank: 120x60x40cm, 40 cm is the height.

Inspired by natural garden ponds I gave no fish food at all in the first eight months because I wanted to have a self-sufficient ecosystem with its own food chain. The fish I added after four months like dwarf croaking gouramis (Trichopsis pumila) and scarlet badis (Dario dario) could flourish by eating young dwarf shrimps, crustaceans and other micro-animals they could find in the aquarium. All these micro-animals could in turn grow and multiply well by eating algae and plant remains. My only input to this ecosystem were dried beech leaves from the nearby wood.



Half pyramid structure with foam sheets.



Sand, stones and roots

I began to set up the aquarium in August of 2006 as illustrated in the pictures below. By gluing progressively smaller foam sheets from bottom to top with aquarium silicon I constructed a sort of half pyramid. My objective was having different depths in the tank with a shallow water zone at the back.

These were the first creatures I added to the aquarium (August 2006):

Plants:

Umbrella plant (Cyperus alternifolius)

Echinodorus rigidifolius and E. cordifolius

Java moss (Vesicularia dubyana)

Java fern (Microsorium pteropus)

Hygrophila polysperma and H. corumbosa

Cryptocoryne wendtii

Anubias nana

Various swimming plants (Lemna minor, Limnobium laevigatum, Ceratopteris cortuna)

Invertebrates:

Striped dwarf shrimps (Neocaridina denticulate)

Mexican amphipods Hyalella azteca

Water louse Asellus aquaticus

Water flea (Daphnia pulex)

Malaysian trumpet snails (Melanoides tuberculata)

Ramshorn snails (Planorbis corneus)

Fish:

4 x dwarf otocinclus, a small algeater (Otocinclus affinis)

I waited four months before adding four scarlet fish (Dario dario), a pair of dwarf croaking gouramis (Trichopsis pumila) and six celestial pearl danio (Celestichthys margaritatus) into the tank. After four months I thought the population of shrimps and arthropods reached a sufficient level for sustaining the carnivorous fish.

Carnivorous fish added after four months (January 2009)

Fish:

4 x Scarlet fish (Dario dario)

A pair of dwarf croaking gouramis (Trichopsis pumila)

6 x Celestial pearl danio (Celestichthys margaritatus), surface dwelling swarm fish

The private life of plants in my biotope



Biotope seen from above, October 2006

I had planted the umbrella plants on the right and left backside corners. They thrived unbelievably fast. I guess, they like natural sunlight. Already after two weeks their reddish roots were all over the tank like hair bundles, also reached the front glass. The umbrella plants are perfect for the purification of water and sand, but they cause a mess in the aquarium and threaten other plants. Mixed up with Java moss the roots of umbrella plants make impenetrable jungles up to the water surface. This jungle like ecological niche might be ideal propagation ground for small invertebrates provided that it receives sufficient oxygen. But I know today that umbrella plants must be kept several meters away from other plants because they are so dominant and fast growing species.

The sword plants (Echinodorus species) with emergent leaves were growing well at the beginning but they slowed down after several months. They are still alive today (July 2007) but almost without growing. I guess, the reason is either iron deficiency, or the harsh competition of umbrella plants.

Java moss is a real nuisance in this aquarium. They propagate so fast that they cover all the other plants in a few weeks. I have to throw away bundles of Java moss regularly. Though it makes ideal hiding and feeding ground for invertebrates and baby fish Java moss is not sustainable in the long term. It requires so much maintenance, that’s not the idea. I should either get rid of Java moss or find a small herbivorous animal which can eat it.

The sword plants and Cryptocoryne wendtii can grow together. The same can be said for the triple Hygrophila polysperma, Anubias nana and Java fern. I think, these are all sustainable, low maintenance plants in most cases. Hygrophila corumbosa didn’t grow well from the beginning. It either didn’t like the conditions of my tank, or couldn’t stand to the competition of other plants.



Front view of biotope, October 2006

As to the swimming plants: They all multiplied fast initially, then came to a standstill, and finally disappeared altogether after eight months, including the invasive common duckweed (Lemna minor). I observed a similar phenomenon in the temporal lakes in Bolivia. The swimming plants which invade the whole surface initially begin to diminish due to the competition of plants like water lilies that have roots at the bottom. Such plants like water lilies don’t depend on the nutrition content of water alone because they can take additional nutrition from the bottom substrate (iron-rich laterit soil in most cases) through their roots. I guess, plants like umbrellas are purifying the water so well in my tank that even invasive plants like duckweeds must starve.

To summarize what I learned through all these observations, mixing up plants after the visual aesthetic, or visual imagination without the support of experience never give satisfactory results. Each species, or each compatible group of species must have sufficient area in the tank. Otherwise, the dominant group will invade the whole aquarium unless you fight against it with a high level of maintenance. For example, I would have only umbrella plants and Java moss in an aquarium, provided that I am ready to throw away the excess Java moss regularly. Or only sword plants (Echinodorus species) and Cryptocoryne wendtii in another. Water lilies can be kept in large aquariums, or better ponds with sufficient distance from other plants.

The private life of invertebrates and fish in my biotope



Male scarlet badis (Dario dario)

I never saw the water louse (Asellus aquaticus) again after I added them to the tank. I had hoped that they would thrive among the beech leaves which I collected from the nearby wood because they are perfect herbivores for any ecosystem. Their larvae could be excellent addition to the food chain for the fish. I still don’t know today (July 2007) if any of them could survive. But I guess, they need a hibernation period in really cold water in winter which is not possible in a home aquarium.

The dwarf shrimps (Neocaridina denticulate) thrived extremely well and reached an unbelievable population in just four months. I guess, they liked the clean nitrate-free water. After four months I could see baby shrimps everywhere in the tank. Because there were no enemies like carnivorous fish they were foraging freely during the day. They changed their behavior after I added the carnivorous fish like the scarlet badis or dwarf croaking gouramis. They began to live nocturnal and hide during the day, especially the small babies. Though some of them fall prey to fish their population was big enough and stable after four months with the carnivorous fish.

The Mexican amphipods (Hyalella azteca) are I think ideal animals for any biotope aquarium. They are the North American version of the better known fresh water shrimp Gammarus pulex. They are but smaller, and more resistant to higher temperatures, oxygen deficiency and organic pollution in water. Hyalella azteca can grow up to 1 cm, though it generally remains smaller. It’s generally said that they require hard water (GH over 10) for breeding. Initially I thought baby Hyalella azteca would be ideal food for the fish. And because the scarlet badis or dwarf croaking gouramy are not large enough to eat adults a sustainable population would be feasible for the long term. But I had suspicions about their breeding potential because the water was maybe not hard enough (GH = 8).



Female scarlet badis, a death sentence for all

But the Mexican amphipods could multiply quite well even though not as prolific as the dwarf shrimps. They also switched over to night life like shrimps after I added the carnivorous fish. But I guess, they are not as good as shrimps in escaping predators, especially the baby arthropods. Nevertheless, I can still see today Mexican amphipods at night among the plants when I look with a torch. I guess, most of them are hiding among the stones and gravel.

The Malaysian trumpet snails (Melanoides tuberculata) are voluntary recycling workers. They keep the sand clean just like the earthworms do for soil. They generally hide in the sand during the day and come out at night. They are hermaphrodites carrying both sexual organs on a single body. They can fertilize themselves (I don’t know if they can do cross fertilizing) and generally they are prolific breeders. I had started with ten trumpet snails a year ago. Now I can see lots of them. Trumpet or ramshorn, snails are indispensable agents for recycling in an ecosystem. They break down the organic matter before bacteria do and make them easily available for plants. This is exactly the type of recycling we need with a low bacteria level.

Water fleas (Daphnia pulex) could also multiply very well in the first four months with the algeater dwarf Otocinclus as the only resident fish. They disappeared in a few days after the arrival of scarlet badis. I was sorry for my water fleas and for the diminishing biodiversity but I knew that the water fleas had no chance. But I know today that the common water flea can easily be a part of such an ecosystem with shrimps and plant eaters without the carnivorous fish.



Croaking dwarf gouramy (Trichopsis pumila)

About three months after the initial set up I thought, the population of shrimps reached a sufficient level for sustaining tiny carnivorous fish, and added four young male scarlet badis to the tank (November 2006). Only males, because I couldn’t find any females. It’s somehow very difficult to find female scarlet fish. I added a pair of dwarf croaking gouramis in December.

Scarlet badis (Dario Dario) is a magnificent tiny fish of Indian origin whose size can hardly exceed 2.5 cm. Because it lives in ponds and lakes in high altitude plateaus it likes cool water, but it tolerates temporary higher temperatures like 28°C. Dario dario is in general a hardy fish. It is resistant to diseases and adaptable to various water conditions. But they rarely accept staple food; they need live foods. That’s why they are not easy fish to keep in any home aquarium, but ideal candidates with their tiny size for a self-sufficient biotope aquarium. They are very beautiful. They resemble the anemone fish of coral reefs with their bright colors.

My four young scarlet fish thrived in the biotope without any additional food. In several months they became colorful and aggressive adults. Each had its own territory in the tank. They were slimmer, more colorful, more aggressive and agile than the scarlet fish I have seen in some industrial aquariums. Even their behaviors were different. They weren’t showing up the whole day like a porcelain piece in a vitrine. They were hiding most of the day only to appear at dawn and dusk times. They were briefly but efficiently searching for food and showing other males who is the boss in their territory. After five months my scarlet badis were still as healthy as iron, and I was sure that they could find sufficient food in the tank. This was the aquarium now which I enjoyed most because I could observe more natural behaviors. How should I find wives for my scarlets on heat?



Female dwarf yellow cichlid (Apistogramma borellii)

It was a mistake to put dwarf croaking gouramis to the tank. I had initially hoped that they would remain near to the surface and leave bottom areas to scarlets. But they didn’t. Maybe due to lack of swimming plants on the surface they looked for hiding places on the bottom and dominated scarlet fish. Though they looked healthy enough I think my unheated aquarium was too cool for the gouramis. So, after three months I separated them to another natural but heated aquarium. They are still living there together with Betta imbellis. They could even produce some young fish in the meantime.

Celestial pearl danios (Celestichthys margaritatus) are small swarm fish with Asian origin. They are close relatives of the well-known zebra danio (Danio rerio). I preferred pearl danios to zebra danios because they are smaller, calmer and they don’t have the habit of jumping off the aquarium. Like scarlets they can perfectly be kept in unheated aquariums with temperatures varying between 15° and 25°C. Pearl danios proved quite compatible with scarlet badis because they are peaceful and surface dwelling swarm fish. They look healthy and satisfied but I am not sure if they will get enough food in the long term. Maybe they are too large a burden for the food chain of a small biotope without insects raining from the sky.



Male yellow dwarf cichlid (Apistogramma borellii)

All went very well until I found female scarlets from a private breeder in Germany. My male scarlets were very happy for a couple of days. But only a couple of days because all the fish except pearl danios died, I guess, due to a disease carried by female scarlets. A tragic end to my experience with scarlets. Since then, I am keeping dwarf yellow cichlids (Apistogramma borellii), another subtropical species.

Unfortunately, I had to give up my self-sufficiency concept with borellis because they are not tiny enough like scarlet badis. I had to begin giving some supplementary food even in miniscule amounts. Nevertheless, I am now quite sure that the self-sufficiency concept was a success with the tiny scarlet fish.

[wulfstein-blog1]

Schnecken für das Aquarium

Die Schnecken (Gastropoden) sind die formenreichste Klasse der Weichtiere, jenes großen Tierstammes, zu dem auch die Muscheln (Lamellibranchier) und Tintenfische (Cephalopoden) gehören. Die Schnecken konnten vom Meere aus sowohl das Süßwasser als auch das Land erobern. Ja, viele Arten sind - wie unsere Schlammschnecken - vom Landleben wieder zum Wasserleben übergegangen. Solche sekundäre Wasserschnecken behalten aber auch im Wasser die bei der Eroberung des Landes gewonnene Lungenatmung bei und unterscheiden sich von den ursprünglichen kiemenatmenden Wasserschnecken. Der Schneckenkörper ist, zumindest innerlich, unsymmetrisch gestaltet und in die Schneckenschale zurückziehbar. Der Kopf, der meist Fühler trägt, setzt sich nach hinten in den lang gestreckten Kriechfuß fort, auf den gegen die Schale hin der Mantel als der die Schale bildende Körperteil folgt. In der Schale ist der spiralig aufgewundene Eingeweidesack verborgen. Einige Formen haben eine stark zurückgebildete mützenförmige Schale, und vielen Arten fehlt die Schale vollkommen. Die zu einer Raspel umgebildete Zunge ist vorstreckbar und erlaubt das Abraspeln von Pflanzenteilen und Algenrasen. Die auf dem Lande lebenden Lungenschnecken ernähren sich vorwiegend von Pilzen und höheren Pflanzen, die Wasserschnecken dagegen von Algenrasen und faulenden Pflanzenteilen. Daneben können aber auch tierische Substanzen, in der Regel auch Kadaver, aufgenommen werden. Einzelne Arten sind sogar echte Raubtiere. Die so genannten roten Schnecken sind pigmentarme Individuen dunkler Arten, die in der freien Natur gelegentlich auftreten. Einige dieser roten Schnecken sind für die Zwecke der Aquaristik erbfest gezüchtet worden. Fast alle in der Aquaristik gepflegten Formen stammen aus den Tropen. Unsere einheimische Schneckenfauna ist an tiefere Temperaturen gebunden und kann sich deshalb nur im Kaltwasserbecken entfalten. Eine Ausnahme macht lediglich die bei uns überall häufige, aus dem Mittelmeergebiet eingewanderte kleine Blasenschnecke, auch Spitzhornschnecke genannt (Physa acuta). Diese Art gedeiht auch im Warmwasseraquarium sehr gut, ja, vermehrt sich meist so stark, dass sie mit der Zeit lästig werden kann. Eine besondere Schneckenfütterung ist im Aquarium in der Regel nicht erforderlich. Jedes Becken liefert Nahrung in Form von Algenrasen und Fäkalien sowie tierischen Futterresten in ausreichender Menge. Nur ganz wenige große Arten müssen, da sonst die höheren Wasserpflanzen angegangen werden, mit Kopfsalat gefüttert werden. Von den einheimischen Arten sind für das Kaltwasseraquarium oder Heimataquarium in erster Linie verschiedene Tellerschnecken geeignet, so vor allem die Große Posthornschnecke (Planorbis corneus), die bis 35 mm Durchmesser erreichen kann. Der Fachhandel bietet von dieser Art in der Regel eine prächtige blutrote Form an, die jedoch genau wie die Stammform nur im Kaltwasserbecken gut gedeiht. Aber auch die kleineren Tellerschnecken, wie Bathyomphalus contortus oder Tropidiscus planorbis, sind interessante Formen für das Heimataquarium, die sich hauptsächlich von faulenden Pflanzenteilen und Futterresten ernähren. Alle Tellerschnecken sind lungenatmende Wasserschnecken. Weiterhin eignen sich für das Kaltwasseraquarium verschiedene einheimische Deckelschnecken. So die lebendgebärende Große Sumpfdeckelschnecke (Vivipams viviparus, die kleine Schleischnecke (Bulimus tentaculatus;) und die Plötzenschnecke (Valvata piscmaüs;). Die Deckelschnecken tragen auf der Oberseite des Fußes einen Deckel, der die Mündung des Gehäuses verschließt, sobald sich das Tier zurückzieht. Alle Deckelschnecken sind echte kiemenatmende Wasserschnecken, die sich von Algen und Abfällen ernähren. Dagegen sind die meisten Schlammschnecken der Gattung Lymznaea für das Kaltwasserbecken nicht besonders geeignet. Diese lungenatmenden Wasserschnecken haben eine sehr kräftige Radula, mit deren Hilfe  sie auch höhere Wasserpflanzen abweiden können. Lymnaea ovata f. peregra soll sogar einen Giftstoff ausscheiden, der bei Fischen Krämpfe auslösen kann. Einzelne Schlammschnecken beherbergen Larvenstadien von Saugwürmern, die zum Teil Fischen gefährlich werden können. Für das Warmwasseraquarium sind verschiedene tropische Schnecken importiert worden. Starke Verbreitung haben vor allem auch hier die pigmentarmen roten Formen gefunden. Die Süßwasserturmdeckelschnecke Heimat: Ägypten bis Indonesien; bis 2,5 cm. Das spitz ausgezogene Gehäuse ist olivgrün bis gelbgrün, violett quergebändert. Diese Art eignet sich für die Haltung im Warmwasseraquarium besonders gut. Sie ernährt sich hauptsächlich von Algen und Detritus (organische Sinkstoffe) und hat die Eigenart, sich in den Bodengrund einzugraben und diesen langsam umzupflügen. Sie ist gleichsam der Regenwurm des Warmwasseraquariums und als solcher sehr nützlich. Unangenehm kann der Kitthunger dieser Art werden. Die Schnecke frisst mit Vorliebe die Kittfugen aus, so dass, wenn diese sehr weit sind, das Becken undicht werden kann. Melanoides tuberculata ist empfindlich gegen absinkende Temperaturen und geht bei 17 bis 18 °C ein. Spitzhornschnecke

Spitzhornschnecke Fälschlich auch als Isidora proteus bezeichnet. Die aus Südaustralien kommende Schnecke wird bis 2 cm groß, bleibt im Aquarium jedoch in der Regel wesentlich kleiner. Das Linksgewundene, zart graugrüne Gehäuse erinnert in seiner Form etwas an die Gehäuse unserer Schlammschnecken. Besonders schön ist die pigmentarme rote Form dieser Art, die einer stärkeren Verbreitung wert ist. Physastra ist empfindlich gegen länger andauernde niedrige Temperaturen. La-Plata-Apfelschnecke Heimat: Südamerika, La-Plata-Stromgebiet. Diese große, bis 65 mm Durchmesser erreichende, rechtsgewundene Deckelschnecke erinnert in ihrer Gehäuseform etwas an unsere Sumpfdeckelschnecke. Gehäuse hornfarben mit dunklen Bändern. Das Tier selbst ist dunkelgrau bis graublau, trägt zum Teil goldige Pünktchen und besitzt neben zwei langen Fühlern ein stark dehnbares Atemrohr, das der Schnecke neben der Kiemenatmung auch eine Luftatmung erlaubt. Die Eier werden in rosa bis orangefarbenen Ballen außerhalb des Wassers abgelegt. Die Jungen schlüpfen nach 4 bis 6 Wochen. Die Apfelschnecken vergreifen sich nach neueren Beobachtungen an den Wasserpflanzen nur dann, wenn keine Algen oder Futterreste zur Verfügung stehen. Vorsichtshalber kann von Zeit zu Zeit etwas Kopfsalat gegeben werden. Neben dieser Art wurden bislang 4 bis 5 weitere Apfelschnecken lebend importiert. Alle Arten sind hochinteressante Aquarienbewohner.   Read the full article

[fuckyeahaquaria]

Red-rimmed Melania | Melanoides tuberculata

(by rwfoto_de)

[pristigaster]

Danio margaritatus male, two Caridina cf. simoni male,  Melanoides tuberculata, Caridina gracilirostris female with molting difficulties, two Neocaridina heteropoda var. red cherry (young female ovate and a young male), fighting for a spirulina pellet. March 2007. Macho de Danio margaritatus, dos machos de Caridina cf. simoni, Melanoides tuberculata, hembra de Caridina gracilirostris con dificultades de muda y dos Neocaridina heteropoda variedad red cherry (hembra ovada joven y macho joven a continuación), luchando por una pastilla de spirulina. Marzo 2007.

http://pristigaster.blogspot.com/

[biomedres]

Freshwater Snails Infection Status and Predisposing Risk Factors to Schistosomiasis in Doma Local Government Area, Nasarawa State, Nigeria - BJSTR Journals

Freshwater Snails Infection Status and Predisposing Risk Factors to Schistosomiasis in Doma Local Government Area, Nasarawa State, Nigeria by  Pam VA

Biomedical Journal of Scientific & Technical Research

https://biomedres.us/fulltexts/BJSTR.MS.ID.005963.php

The transmission of trematode parasites is actively aided by snail intermediate hosts. Therefore, this study investigated 17 water bodies in Doma LGA, Nasarawa State, Nigeria for Snails intermediate host as well as the factors that predisposes the communities to schistosomiasis infection in the area between August and October, 2019. The water bodies were visited weekly in the morning hours for the collection of snails using hand-held scooping net as well as handpicking from vegetation around for a period of 30 minutes and then taken to the laboratory for sorting and further processing. The snails were morphologically identified and screened for cercaria infection by exposure to sunlight for 2 hours in a petri-dish that contains distilled water and also crushing and microscopically checking for cercaria. A well-structured questionnaire was administered to members of the communities around the studied water bodies in order to collect data relating to the risk factors that predisposes the community to schistosomiasis. A total of 308 snails were collected from the water bodies which spread across five different species of snails: Bulinus globosus, Bulinus forskalii, Biomphalaria pfeifferi, Lymnae natalensis and Melanoides tuberculata. The predominant snail species was B. globosus. Therefore, the abundance between snail species collected at Doma LGA showed a very high significant difference (2 = 312.03, df = 4, P < 0.0001). Zero prevalence of cercaria was observed in the snails. The knowledge level of the people is relatively poor since most of the respondents 211 (41.4%) had contact with contaminated water and 102 (33%) of them drink unsafe water. A good number of the respondent’s source for water source from the tap 313 (61.4%). Majority of the respondents 233 (45.7%) make use of pit laterine in their homes and most of them stay in close proximity to water bodies 326 (63.9%). About half of the respondents 210 (41.2%) have contact with water bodies once a week and at most time in the morning hours 164 (32.2%) for the purpose of washing/laundry 189 (37.1%). About 40% of them had experienced blood in their urine in the time past. Only 122 (23.9%) of the respondents had previously been treated for schistosomiasis, while an ample number of the respondents 388 (76.1%) have never been treated for the disease and as such are unaware of their status. In conclusion, the absence of cercaria infection in the snails which are known intermediate hosts of causative agents of schistosomiasis suggests that communities in the study area are presently not at risk of schistosomiasis. Observation from responses indicated that the communities maintain a good level of hygienic condition which have militated against the spread of the disease making the site non-endemic to schistosomiasis. Thus, the sanitation lifestyle by the people in the area should be sustained.

For more articles in Journals on Biomedical Sciences click here

bjstr

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