Survey of the African giant land snail (Archachatina marginata), intermediate host of intestinal parasites in Akure Metropolis, Ondo State

Abstract

Background

African giant land snails (Archachatina marginata) are hermaphroditic pulmonate nocturnal gastropods of the Achatinidae family. The snail is one of West Africa's largest known terrestrial snails. The majority of land snails live in Nigeria's derived guinea savannah's forest litters, which range from deep tropical high forest to bordering riparian forests. Africa's giant land snails, which are noted for their ravenous feeding habits and extensive food range, are a major reservoir and intermediate host for parasites that can infect humans.

Results

Seventy snail samples were collected from the study site in total. The parasites found is a nematode rat lung worm (Angiostrongylus cantonensis), which have a fragile, narrow, and simple mouth with no lip or buccal cavity and belong to the order Strongylida. The parasite was found to be most prevalent in small snails (52.94%), followed by medium sized snails with a frequency of 29.41%, and the giant-sized snails with the lowest prevalence of infection. The mantle parasite has the largest prevalence (48.6%), while parasites retrieved from the stomach have the highest mean intensity (2.50 ± 0.25).

Conclusion

The African giant land snail can serve as a vector for zoonotic diseases, transmitting parasites to humans through raw or undercooked snails, infested vegetation, and contact with contaminated water. As a result, effective control measures for human infection should be established.