Bird schistosomes in planorbid snails in the Czech Republic

Bird schistosomes have been in focus as causative agents of cercarial dermatitis of humans in the last years; however, our knowledge of their species spectrum and intermediate host specificity is still insufficient. Our study focused on bird schistosomes developing in planorbid snails that have been less studied so far. From 2001 to 2010, cercariae of bird schistosomes were found in four snail species (Gyraulus albus, Segmentina nitida, Anisus vortex and Planorbis planorbis) from seven localities in the Czech Republic. Based on morphology and results of molecular analysis, the isolates found belong to at least six species. Five of them are probably undescribed species, and one species appears to be identical with Gigantobilharzia vittensis Reimer, 1963 (syn. G. suebica Dönges, 1964). The finding from S. nitida represents the first report of a bird schistosome from this snail.