Journal of Veterinary Parasitology

SCOPUS
  • Year: 2019
  • Volume: 33
  • Issue: 1

Seasonal prevalence and habitat of Radix auricularia in an area with outbreaks of Fasciola gigantica in the Nilgiri district of Tamil Nadu

Department of Veterinary Parasitology, Madras Veterinary College, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai-600007, Tamil Nadu

1Department of Veterinary Pathology, TANUVAS, Sandynallah-643237, The Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu

2Sheep Breeding Research Station, TANUVAS, Sandynallah-643237, The Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu

Abstract

Snails including Radix auricularia act as intermediate hosts for trematode infections including Fasciola gigantica. Seasonal prevalence and habitat of R. auricularia was studied from January 2012 to December 2012 in a private sheep farm reporting persistent outbreaks of fasciolosis in the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu. The prevalence of R. auricularia was highest during summer months (42.74%) followed by winter (31.05%), north-east monsoon (20.51%) and south-west monsoon (5.70%). The snails were mostly found only on the aquatic plants such as Nostacium officinale, Pennisetumglandulosum and Rotala rotundifolia. They were not found on the plants like Polygonum leshnaultucum, Cyprus weightii and Eichhornia. The eggs of R. auricularia were bullet shaped and each egg capsule contained 26–28 eggs.

Keywords

Snail, Radix auricularia, Prevalence, Habitats, Fasciolosis outbreak, Tamil Nadu