Estimating the risk of swimmer's itch in surface waters A case study from Lake Baldeney, River Ruhr
The result's identifiers
Result code in IS VaVaI
<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F60077344%3A_____%2F16%3A00468315" target="_blank" >RIV/60077344:_____/16:00468315 - isvavai.cz</a>
Result on the web
<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2015.03.012" target="_blank" >http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2015.03.012</a>
DOI - Digital Object Identifier
<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2015.03.012" target="_blank" >10.1016/j.ijheh.2015.03.012</a>
Alternative languages
Result language
angličtina
Original language name
Estimating the risk of swimmer's itch in surface waters A case study from Lake Baldeney, River Ruhr
Original language description
Swimmer's itch is a zoonotic disease caused by certain digenean trematodes, in Europe most noticeably by bird schistosomes of the genus Trichobilharzia. These parasites require waterfowl and aquatic snails as final and intermediate hosts, respectively, to complete their life cycle. Swimmer's itch occurs when the free-swimming larvae emitted from snails, the cercariae, accidentally infect humans. Here the parasites cannot complete their life cycle but can cause allergic inflammatory responses of the skin. In the context of the joint BMBF project `Sichere Ruhr' (Safe Ruhr), which evaluates the Ruhr River as a potential bathing water, the occurrence of the causative agents of swimmer's itch in Lake Baldeney was studied. A total of 1741 snails was examined for the presence of trematode infections, including bird schistosomes. Snails infected with Trichobilharzia spp. were found at three sampling locations but showed low overall prevalences (0.6-3.0%). Based on parasite and host biology, risk factors were evaluated and discussed in the context of the potential use of Lake Baldeney as a bathing water. Although bird schistosomes only constitute a fraction of the trematode diversity occurring in natural snail populations and show low prevalence, they still pose an infection risk due to the high emission rates of cercariae from individual snail hosts. A wide variety of often interacting biotic and abiotic factors, as well as personal behaviour have an effect on the likelihood and severity of a human infection. Based on these risk factors, a number of possible preventive actions aiming at the disruption of the life cycle, or personal protective measures can be suggested. While absolute protection is impossible (unless swimming in natural waters is altogether avoided) some preventive measures can reduce the risk of human infections.
Czech name
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Czech description
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Classification
Type
J<sub>x</sub> - Unclassified - Peer-reviewed scientific article (Jimp, Jsc and Jost)
CEP classification
EH - Ecology - communities
OECD FORD branch
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Result continuities
Project
<a href="/en/project/GAP505%2F10%2F1562" target="_blank" >GAP505/10/1562: Trematode communities in molluscs as a model system to forecast the impact of climate change in freshwater ecosystems in Central Europe</a><br>
Continuities
P - Projekt vyzkumu a vyvoje financovany z verejnych zdroju (s odkazem do CEP)
Others
Publication year
2016
Confidentiality
S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů
Data specific for result type
Name of the periodical
International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health
ISSN
1438-4639
e-ISSN
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Volume of the periodical
219
Issue of the periodical within the volume
7
Country of publishing house
DE - GERMANY
Number of pages
7
Pages from-to
693-699
UT code for WoS article
000387521500007
EID of the result in the Scopus database
2-s2.0-84973230236