Evaluating the possible transmission in California of food-borne zoonotic trematode parasites carried by the introduced snail Melanoides tuberculata

摘要 食源性吸虫是由吸虫寄生虫引起的，可涉及多种病理因素。 腹痛、慢性咳嗽、肝肿大、胆道癌，甚至脑出血。 据估计，世界各地有近10亿人面临感染风险。尽管他们 全球重要性，食源性吸虫通常不被认为是公共卫生 在美国的问题。这种不关心以前可能是合理的：吸虫是 由第一中间宿主蜗牛携带，美国历史上缺乏已知的蜗牛物种 携带危害人类的吸虫。然而，一种这样的宿主蜗牛，梅拉诺德斯 现已在美国引进并建立。ITS中的三个 感染人类的吸虫与蜗牛共同繁殖。此外，初步的 对南加州蜗牛的采样显示，至少有两种会感染人类的蜗牛 吸虫已被引入美国西部。介绍了这种蜗牛和一些 它的寄生虫要求对食源性人兽共患吸虫病可能出现的情况进行评估 起源于美国引进的蜗牛。 这项拟议的研究将在整个南加州进行一项系统的调查，以量化 56个渔场的中间宿主蜗牛的存在以及存在和丰度 它的吸虫寄生虫。此外，在这些地点的一个子集，调查将证实 直接感染人类的吸虫阶段确实存在于人们捕获的鱼类中。 然后吃东西。 食源性吸虫在美国并不是一个公共卫生问题，但 这项工作可能会揭示出他们应该是这样的。拟议中的研究将提供第一个广泛的 在美国对涉及可能出现的食品的公共卫生问题进行评估- 来自引进的钉螺携带的吸虫的吸虫酶。 通过描述南加州这一潜在公共卫生问题的程度，这 研究将(1)为南方其他流行病学研究提供基础 加州和全国其他地方，以及(2)为公共和兽医健康打开大门 各机构采取预防措施减少传播，并向临床医生通报 可能发生以前未被发现和可能未被诊断的食源性人畜共患病 吸虫酶。

Summary Food‐borne trematodiases are caused by trematode parasites and can involve pathologies ranging from abdominal pain, chronic cough, hepatomegaly, bile duct cancer, or even brain hemorrhage. Almost a billion people around the world are estimated to be at risk of infection. Despite their global importance, food‐borne trematodiases are not typically considered to be a public health issue in the United States. This lack of concern may have previously been justified: trematodes are carried by first intermediate host snails, and the US historically lacked the snail species known to carry injurious human‐infecting trematodes. However, one such host snail, Melanoides tuberculata, has now been introduced and established in the United States. Three of its human‐infecting trematodes have co‐established with the snail. Further, preliminary sampling of southern Californian snails reveals that at least two of these human‐infecting trematodes have been introduced to the western US. The introduction of this snail and some of its parasites calls for an evaluation of the possible emergence of food‐borne zoonotic trematodiases originating from the introduced snail in the United States. The proposed research will involve a systematic survey throughout southern California to quantify the presence of the intermediate host snail at 56 fishing localities, and the presence and abundance of its trematode parasites. Further, at a subset of those localities, the investigation will confirm that the trematode stages directly infectious to humans are, indeed, present in fishes that people catch and eat. Food‐borne trematodiases are not on the radar as a public health concern in the United States, but this work may reveal that they should be. The proposed research will provide the first extensive evaluation in the United States of a public health concern involving the possible emergence of food‐ borne trematodiases originating from trematodes carried by the introduced snail, M. tuberculata. By delineating the extent of this potential public health problem in southern California, this research will (1) provide a foundation for additional epidemiological research in southern California and elsewhere in the nation, and (2) open the door for public and veterinary health agencies to take preventative measures to reduce transmission and to inform clinicians of the possible occurrence of previously unappreciated, and potentially undiagnosed, food‐borne zoonotic trematodiases.