New insights into trematode infections in cattle and their snail intermediate hosts in a Mediterranean area of Italy

Sep 30, 2026

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This study investigated snails collected from eleven cattle farms in a Mediterranean area of southern Italy, where Fasciola hepatica and Calicophoron daubneyi are known to occur. A total of 319 snails from aquatic habitats were identified using morphological and molecular analysis. BLAST showed Galba truncatula (56.7%) and Physella acuta (43.3%). DNA testing of 130 snails detected F. hepatica only in G. truncatula, while C. daubneyi occurred in both species.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages12

Reading Time30 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Study objective and context

Fasciolosis and paramphistomosis in ruminants

Snail intermediate hosts and regional transmission

Food and Waterborne Parasitology 42 (2026) e00312 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Food and Waterborne Parasitology journal [homepage:](homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/fawpar)[ www.elsevier.com/locate/fawpar](homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/fawpar) | New insights into trematode infections in cattle and their snail intermediate hosts in a Mediterranean area of Italy
Lavinia Ciucaa, Maria Paola Maurellia,*, Antonio Boscoa, Ines Hammamia, Paola Vitielloa, Mita Eva Sengupta b, Anna-Sofie Stensgaardb, Laura Rinaldia
a Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, CREMOPAR, University of Naples Federico II, 80137 Naples, Italy b Department for Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg C, Denmark | | | | --- | --- | --- | | A R T I C L E I N F O | | A B S T R A C T | | Keywords: Calicophoron daubneyi Fasciola hepatica Cattle
Snails
Galba truncatula Physella acuta | | This study investigated snails collected from eleven cattle farms in a Mediterranean area of southern Italy, where Fasciola hepatica (liver fluke) and Calicophoron daubneyi (rumen fluke) are known to occur. A total of 319 snails were collected from various aquatic habitats across the selected farms and identified using morphological and molecular analysis. BLAST analysis revealed two snail species: Galba truncatula (56.7 %) and Physella acuta (43.3 %). Statistical analyses revealed that shell and aperture lengths differed significantly between the two snail species. A subset of 130 snails was tested for the presence of F. hepatica and C. daubneyi DNA. Snails were initially tested in pools of ten individuals per species and single snails from positive pools were subsequently examined individually. Fasciola hepatica DNA was detected exclusively in G. truncatula, whereas C. daubneyi DNA was found in both G. truncatula and P. acuta. In addition, a total of 84 adult liver flukes were collected from cattle on seven of the eleven farms, morphometrically characterized, and molecularly confirmed as F. hepatica. The concurrent detection of fluke eggs in cattle faeces, adult flukes in livers and fluke DNA in snails suggests that active transmission is ongoing on these farms. Galba truncatula, already established as the main intermediate host for both F. hepatica and C. daubneyi in Europe, was confirmed in this study as naturally infected with both flukes under Italian field conditions. Broader seasonal surveys are warranted to better define infection dynamics. In contrast, the detection of C. daubneyi DNA in P. acuta requires experimental confirmation of cercarial shedding and infectivity to the definitive host to determine its actual role in fluke transmission. | 1. Introduction Fasciolosis, caused by Fasciola hepatica Linnaeus 1758 (liver flukes), and paramphistomosis, caused by Calicophoron daubneyi, Dinnik 1962 (rumen flukes) are among the most common parasitic infections of ruminant livestock in Europe (Huson et al., 2017; Beesley et al., 2018). Fasciolosis is highly endemic in the western European countries (Ducheyne et al., 2015; Rinaldi et al., 2015) and contributes to global economic losses estimated at $3.2 billion/year due to liver condemnation in slaughterhouses, reduced weight gain and milk production and increased animal mortality (Mehmood et al., 2017). Furthermore, fasciolosis is recognized by the World * Corresponding author at: Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, CREMOPAR, University of Naples Federico II, 80137 Naples, Italy. [E-mail address:](E-mail address: mariapaola.maurelli@unina.it)[ mariapaola.maurelli@unina.it](E-mail address: mariapaola.maurelli@unina.it) (M.P. Maurelli). [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fawpar.2025.e00312](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fawpar.2025.e00312) Received 4 August 2025; Received in revised form 5 December 2025; Accepted 12 December 2025 Available online 16 December 2025 2405-6766/© 2025 Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of I

FAQs

Which snail species were identified in the study area, and what were their proportions?

Two snail species were identified: Galba truncatula (56.7%) and Physella acuta (43.3%). These were determined by morphological and molecular analysis.

How were snails tested for parasite DNA, and what was found for each trematode?

A subset of 130 snails was tested for F. hepatica and C. daubneyi DNA using pooled testing followed by individual testing of positives. F. hepatica DNA was detected exclusively in G. truncatula, while C. daubneyi DNA was found in both G. truncatula and P. acuta.

What evidence supports ongoing transmission on the farms?

Detection of fluke eggs in cattle faeces, adult liver flukes in cattle livers, and trematode DNA in snails indicates active transmission occurring on these farms.

Sep 30, 2026

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