UC Riverside researchers have actually found the possibly deadly liver fluke parasite, Heterobilharzia americana, in the Colorado River in California, a very first for the area. Originating from research study on regional canine infections, the finding highlights the unforeseen existence of parasite-carrying snails. Dog owners are prompted to be careful and look for signs of infection. While the parasite can trigger swimmer’s itch in human beings, it postures no substantial health danger and is not likely to infect drinking water due to reliable filtration techniques.
Experts care canine owners versus permitting their animals to swim in the Colorado River.
Scientists at UC Riverside have actually confirmed for the very first time the existence of a possibly lethal canine parasite in an area of the Colorado River that streams through California.
The parasite, Heterobilharzia americana, is a flatworm typically described as liver fluke. Previously discovered practically specifically in Texas and other Gulf Coast states, it has actually never ever been reported this far west. The worm can trigger canine schistosomiasis, a health problem that affects the liver and intestinal tracts of canines.
“Dogs can die from this infection, so we are hoping to raise public awareness that it’s there,” stated UCR nematology teacher AdlerDillman “If you’re swimming in the Colorado River with them, your pets are in peril.”
After finding out about cases of the infection in regional canines, Dillman put together a research study group and headed to Blythe, a border town east of Joshua Tree National Park in Riverside County, where the ill canines had all hung out swimming in the river.
Life cycle of H. americana. Credit: Adler Dillman/ UCR
Research Findings
The infection is driven by the existence of a snail that sends the worm. The research study group gathered more than 2,000 snails from the banks of the river. A paper released today in the journal Pathogens explains how the group utilized < period class ="glossaryLink" aria-describedby ="tt" data-cmtooltip =(********************************************************************** )data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]" tabindex ="0" function ="link" > DNA to validate the identity of both the snails and the flatworm.
“We really discovered 2 < period class =(******************************************************************** )aria-describedby ="tt" data-cmtooltip ="<div class=glossaryItemTitle>species</div><div class=glossaryItemBody>A species is a group of living organisms that share a set of common characteristics and are able to breed and produce fertile offspring. The concept of a species is important in biology as it is used to classify and organize the diversity of life. There are different ways to define a species, but the most widely accepted one is the biological species concept, which defines a species as a group of organisms that can interbreed and produce viable offspring in nature. This definition is widely used in evolutionary biology and ecology to identify and classify living organisms.</div>" data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]" tabindex ="0" function ="link" > types of snails that can support H. americana in the river inBlythe, and we discovered both snails actively shedding this worm,”Dillman stated.(*************************************** )
(************** )After changing itself inside among the snails, the worm endeavors out with the objective of discovering a mammal to contaminate.In this phase, it can just make it through by itself for about24 hours.If a pet dog or a raccoon remains in the water, or drinking, then it gets contaminated.
UCRiverside scientists gathering samples from theColoradoRiver inBlytheCredit:AdlerDillman/ UCR
“It gets into the veins of the intestinal lining, and that’s where it develops into an adult and mates,”Dillman stated.“The presence of the adults in the veins isn’t the problem. It’s the eggs that get into the lungs, spleen, liver, and heart. The immune system tries to deal with it, and hard clusters of immune cells called granulomas form. Eventually, the organ tissues stop functioning.”
Once contaminated, it can be numerous months before the worst signs of the disease appear.Since2019 inCalifornia,11 canines in 3 counties have actually been verified with this illness, and one has actually passed away. Health authorities hope that with awareness they can avoid more infections and deaths.
“Symptoms start gradually with a loss of appetite, and eventually include vomiting, diarrhea, profound weight loss, and signs of liver disease. If your dog has these symptoms after swimming in the Colorado River, it’s a good precaution to ask your veterinarian for a simple fecal test,” stated Emily Beeler, a vet with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.
The small snail host that sends H. americana. Credit: Adler Dillman/ UCR
“Treatment typically involves the use of multiple medications and close monitoring of the dog by a veterinarian,” Beeler stated.
It is necessary to keep in mind that H. americana is not understood to be efficient in triggering illness in human beings. “It can cause swimmer’s itch, a red rash where it penetrates human skin. But it’s not able to cause infection,” Dillman stated.
Additionally, Dillman wishes to ease issues that the parasite might be infecting city drinking water. “Compared to other pathogens these worms are fairly large. They can easily be filtered out with common water purification strategies,” he stated. Though there is no cause for issue about contamination of water sources, consuming the water straight is still inadvisable.
“You have viruses, bacteria, and other parasites such as Giardia in rivers,” Dillman stated. “Nobody should be drinking straight out of the river, and that has nothing to do with this particular parasite.”
Reference: “Canine Schistosomiasis in the West Coast: Heterobilharzia americana in Two Natural Intermediate Hosts Found in the Colorado River, California” by Anil Baniya, Connor J. Goldy, Jiranun Ardpairin, Perla Achi, Yu Wei Chang, Rose C. Adrianza, Apichat Vitta and Adler R. Dillman, 12 March 2024, Pathogens
DOI: 10.3390/ pathogens13030245
