Trematode infections are still one of Africa’s most common and pervasive tropical diseases, especially in areas near freshwater bodies. Fasciola gigantica transmission in East African wetlands is shaped by the ecology of its freshwater snail hosts, yet fine-scale dynamics remain poorly resolved. This study quantified spatial, temporal, and spatio-temporal patterns of snail populations in Kingwal Wetland, in western Kenya, through monthly surveys of the snail host from January–December 2023 at seven ecologically distinct sites. A total of 8,754 snails belonging to eight different species were collected; dominant taxa were Biomphalaria sudanica (21.0%), B. pfeifferi (17.9%), Lymnaea auricularia (13.6%), Bulinus globosus (12.8%), and Radix natalensis (6.0%). The confirmed F. gigantica vectors, L. auricularia and R. natalensis, the snails showed distinct spatial patterns, with R. natalensis reaching a peak infection prevalence of 29.3% in June. Species abundance differed significantly across the sites (χ² = 3,284.77, df = 42, p < 0.001): Sites 1–3 exhibited the highest snail species diversity and abundance, whereas Site 7 exhibited consistently the lowest, likely reflecting anthropogenic disturbance and seasonal desiccation. Snail populations peaked during the long rains (May–August), with the highest monthly count in May (n = 1,383), and were lowest in January (n = 230) and December (n = 316), confirming strong seasonal effects (χ² = 839.27, df = 77, p < 0.001) and a significant spatio-temporal variation (CMH = 1,192.37, df = 11, p < 0.001). These findings indicate that fasciolosis transmission potential is greatest in wet months within stable, vegetation-rich habitats. The identification of a seasonal transmission window highlights a key timeframe for implementing targeted snail control measures, habitat management, and enhanced surveillance to disrupt F. gigantica transmission in wetlands.
| Published in | Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (Volume 10, Issue 4) |
| DOI | 10.11648/j.eeb.20251004.13 |
| Page(s) | 156-167 |
| Creative Commons |
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited. |
| Copyright |
Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Science Publishing Group |
Freshwater Snails, Fasciola Gigantica, Spatial-temporal Variation, Lymnaea Auricularia, Radix Natalensis, Kingwal Wetland
| [1] | Frandsen, F., & Christensen, N. Ø. (1984). An introductory guide to the identification of cercariae from African freshwater snails with special reference to cercariae of trematode species of medical and veterinary importance. Acta Tropica, 41(2), 181–202. |
| [2] | Brown, D. S. (1994). Freshwater snails of Africa and their medical importance (2nd ed.). London: Taylor & Francis. |
| [3] | World Health Organization (WHO). (1995). Control of foodborne trematode infections (WHO Technical Report Series No. 849). Geneva: WHO. |
| [4] | Malone, J. B., et al. (1998). GIS on potential distribution/abundance of Fasciola hepatica and F. gigantica in East Africa. Veterinary Parasitology, 78(2), 87–101. |
| [5] | Yilma, J. M., & Malone, J. B. (1998). GIS forecast model for strategic control of fasciolosis in Ethiopia. Veterinary Parasitology, 78(2), 103–127. |
| [6] | Pfukenyi, D. M., et al. (2006). Epidemiology of Fasciola gigantica in cattle, Zimbabwe (monthly patterns). Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research. |
| [7] | Dida, G. O., et al. (2014). Distribution and abundance of snail intermediate hosts (including lymnaeids) along the Mara River. Infectious Ecology & Epidemiology, 4, 24281. |
| [8] | Appleton, C. C., & Miranda, N. A. F. (2015). A field guide to the freshwater snails of southern Africa. Water Research Commission Report TT 643/15. Pretoria: Water Research Commission. |
| [9] | Owiny, M. O., et al. (2016). Prevalence and spatial distribution of trematode cercariae and snail hosts in the Mara River region, Kenya–Tanzania. Infectious Ecology & Epidemiology, 9(1), 1573567. |
| [10] | Mas-Coma, S., et al. (2019). Comprehensive fascioliasis review (biology/seasonality). Advances in Parasitology, 103, 1–152. |
| [11] | Chougar, L., et al. (2020). Fasciola gigantica in Algeria (epidemiological context). Transboundary and Emerging Diseases. |
| [12] | Kipyegen, C. K., et al. (2022). Human and animal fasciolosis: Coprological survey in irrigation schemes in Kenya. One Health, 15, 100456. |
| [13] | Nyagura, I., et al. (2022). Occurrence of Fasciola (Digenea: Fasciolidae) species in livestock, wildlife and humans in Africa: A systematic review. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 9, 935428. |
| [14] | Mungube, E. O., et al. (2022). Economic impact of fascioliasis on smallholder dairy farms in Kenya. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 54, 220. |
| [15] | Ahmed, R., et al. (2023). Seasonal dynamics of Fasciola spp. infection in snail hosts in African wetlands. Acta Tropica, 246, 106933. |
| [16] | Dube, A., Kalinda, C., Manyangadze, T., Mindu, T., & Chimbari, M. J. (2023). Effects of temperature on the life-history traits of intermediate host snails of fascioliasis. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 17(12), e0011812. |
| [17] | Hadebe, M. I., Manyangadze, T., Kalinda, C., Mindu, T., & Chimbari, M. J. (2023). Infection rates of Fasciola intermediate host snail species and their distribution in Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, 8(10), 467. |
| [18] | Njeri, J., et al. (2023). Spatial ecology of freshwater snails in Kenyan agro-ecosystems. African Journal of Aquatic Science, 48(2), 134–145. |
| [19] | Siama, A., et al. (2023). Abundance, distribution, and diversity of freshwater snail molluscs and cercariae in East Africa. Journal of Parasitology Research, 2023, 9527349. |
| [20] | Gaye, P. M., Doucouré, S., Sow, D., Sokhna, C., & Ranque, S. (2024). Freshwater snail-borne parasitic diseases in Africa. Tropical Medicine & Health, 52, 61. |
| [21] | Kweyu, R. M., et al. (2024). Linking livestock grazing management to snail host abundance in East African wetlands. Ecological Indicators, 158, 110070. |
| [22] | Choge, J. K., et al. (2024). Epidemiology of fascioliasis in Kenyan highlands. Veterinary Parasitology: Regional Studies and Reports, 42, 100861. |
| [23] | Modabbernia, G., et al. (2024). Impacts across the parasite life cycle: Temperature thresholds and transmission dynamics in Fasciola spp. Parasitology Research. |
| [24] | Nambuya, S. (2025). Meta-analysis and systematic review of the prevalence and risk factors of animal fascioliasis in Eastern and Southern Africa (2000–2023). Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 223, 105969. |
| [25] | Ngcamphalala, P. I., Nyagura, I., Malatji, M. P., & Mukaratirwa, S. (2025). Susceptibility of lymnaeid snails to Fasciola hepatica and F. gigantica: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PeerJ, 13, e18976. |
APA Style
Biwott, G. K., Ngeiywa, M., Makwali, J. (2025). Abundance and Distribution of Snail Intermediate Hosts of Fasciola spp. a High-Risk Fascioliasis Ecosystem in Western Kenya. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 10(4), 156-167. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.eeb.20251004.13
ACS Style
Biwott, G. K.; Ngeiywa, M.; Makwali, J. Abundance and Distribution of Snail Intermediate Hosts of Fasciola spp. a High-Risk Fascioliasis Ecosystem in Western Kenya. Ecol. Evol. Biol. 2025, 10(4), 156-167. doi: 10.11648/j.eeb.20251004.13
Share This Article
Twitter
Linked In
Facebook
Copy
Download@article{10.11648/j.eeb.20251004.13,
author = {Gilbert Kiplagat Biwott and Moses Ngeiywa and Judith Makwali},
title = {Abundance and Distribution of Snail Intermediate Hosts of Fasciola spp. a High-Risk Fascioliasis Ecosystem in Western Kenya},
journal = {Ecology and Evolutionary Biology},
volume = {10},
number = {4},
pages = {156-167},
doi = {10.11648/j.eeb.20251004.13},
url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.eeb.20251004.13},
eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.eeb.20251004.13},
abstract = {Trematode infections are still one of Africa’s most common and pervasive tropical diseases, especially in areas near freshwater bodies. Fasciola gigantica transmission in East African wetlands is shaped by the ecology of its freshwater snail hosts, yet fine-scale dynamics remain poorly resolved. This study quantified spatial, temporal, and spatio-temporal patterns of snail populations in Kingwal Wetland, in western Kenya, through monthly surveys of the snail host from January–December 2023 at seven ecologically distinct sites. A total of 8,754 snails belonging to eight different species were collected; dominant taxa were Biomphalaria sudanica (21.0%), B. pfeifferi (17.9%), Lymnaea auricularia (13.6%), Bulinus globosus (12.8%), and Radix natalensis (6.0%). The confirmed F. gigantica vectors, L. auricularia and R. natalensis, the snails showed distinct spatial patterns, with R. natalensis reaching a peak infection prevalence of 29.3% in June. Species abundance differed significantly across the sites (χ² = 3,284.77, df = 42, p F. gigantica transmission in wetlands.},
year = {2025}
}
TY - JOUR T1 - Abundance and Distribution of Snail Intermediate Hosts of Fasciola spp. a High-Risk Fascioliasis Ecosystem in Western Kenya AU - Gilbert Kiplagat Biwott AU - Moses Ngeiywa AU - Judith Makwali Y1 - 2025/12/17 PY - 2025 N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.eeb.20251004.13 DO - 10.11648/j.eeb.20251004.13 T2 - Ecology and Evolutionary Biology JF - Ecology and Evolutionary Biology JO - Ecology and Evolutionary Biology SP - 156 EP - 167 PB - Science Publishing Group SN - 2575-3762 UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.eeb.20251004.13 AB - Trematode infections are still one of Africa’s most common and pervasive tropical diseases, especially in areas near freshwater bodies. Fasciola gigantica transmission in East African wetlands is shaped by the ecology of its freshwater snail hosts, yet fine-scale dynamics remain poorly resolved. This study quantified spatial, temporal, and spatio-temporal patterns of snail populations in Kingwal Wetland, in western Kenya, through monthly surveys of the snail host from January–December 2023 at seven ecologically distinct sites. A total of 8,754 snails belonging to eight different species were collected; dominant taxa were Biomphalaria sudanica (21.0%), B. pfeifferi (17.9%), Lymnaea auricularia (13.6%), Bulinus globosus (12.8%), and Radix natalensis (6.0%). The confirmed F. gigantica vectors, L. auricularia and R. natalensis, the snails showed distinct spatial patterns, with R. natalensis reaching a peak infection prevalence of 29.3% in June. Species abundance differed significantly across the sites (χ² = 3,284.77, df = 42, p F. gigantica transmission in wetlands. VL - 10 IS - 4 ER -
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Eldoret, Eldoret City, Kenya;Department of Agriculture, Animal Science & Natural Resource, Moi University, Eldoret City, Kenya
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Eldoret, Eldoret City, Kenya
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Eldoret, Eldoret City, Kenya
