Cercarial Dermatitis in Austria Status of Research

Christoph Hörweg1, Herbert Auer2 & Helmut Sattmann3

1 Institute of Zoology, Department of Systematic Zoology, University of Vienna, Austria2 Department of Medical Parasitology, Clinical Institute of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, University of Vienna3 Department of Invertebrates, Natural History Museum Vienna, Austria

Cercarial Dermatitis in Austria

First Record

Gernot Graefe (1971):„Experimenteller Nachweis einer von Cercarien verur-sachten Dermatitis am Neusiedlersee.“

(Sitzungsber. d. Österr. Akad. d. Wissenschaften, Mathemat.-naturw. Kl., Abt. 1, 179: 73-79)

Trichobilharzia szidati

Cercarial Dermatitis in AustriaGeographical Distribution

Vorarlberg: no data

Tyrol: Natterersee (1992): CD, Furcocercariae

Salzburg: Wallersee, Wolfgangsee (1994): CD Badesee Gastein (2002): CD Wallersee (2002): Trichobilharzia sp.

(Stagnicola fuscus)

V T S T

Cercarial Dermatitis in AustriaGeographical Distribution

Upper Austria: Attersee (1992): CD Some lakes around Linz (2002): CD

Carinthia: Wörthersee, Weißensee, etc. (1950 – 90): CD Herzogstuhl (2002): ocellate Furcocercariae

(Gyraulus parvus)

Styria: Some lakes around Graz (1994): CD,

Trichobilharzia ocellata (Radix auricularia)

Weihermühle (2002): CD, Furcocercariae

UA

C

St

Cercarial Dermatitis in AustriaGeographical Distribution

Burgenland: Neusiedlersee (1968-70): CD, T. szidati (L.

stagnalis), Bilharziella polonica (Planorbarius corneus)

Neusiedlersee (1998): B. polonica (P. corneus) Vienna:

Lobau (1983): CD, T. ocellata (L. stagnalis) Lobau (1993, 1994): CD, Furcocercariae Ölhafen (1997): T. ocellata (L. stagnalis, R.

ovata) Alte Donau (2001, 2002): CD Neue Donau (2003): CD

B

V

Cercarial Dermatitis in AustriaGeographical Distribution

Lower Austria: Fischamend/Donau (1971): CD, T. szidati (L.

stagnalis) Sitzenberg (1973): CD, T. szidati (L. stagnalis,

R. auricularia) St. Veit a.d. Gölsen (1983): CD Stopfenreuther Au (1994): CD Wienerwald/Rekawinkel (1998): T. szidati (L.

stagnalis) Schönau/Donau (1998): Trichobilharzia sp. (R.

peregra) Mannswörth (2002): T. sp. (Stagnicola fuscus) Achau (2002): CD Fischamend/Donau (2002): T. sp. (Aplexa

hypnorum)

LA

Cercarial Dermatitis in Austria Summary - Status

2003

Causative agents: Bilharziella polonica Trichobilharzia

szidati Trichobilharzia

ocellata (?)Trichobilharzia sp. (?)

Intermediate Hosts: Lymnaea stagnalis Radix auricularia R. ovata Stagnicola fuscus Planorbarius corneus Gyraulus parvus Aplexa hypnorum

Final hosts: ?

Cercarial Dermatitis in Austria

Alte Donau / Vienna 2002 Date: 21.06.2002, Time: 2 p.m., Weather: hot & sunny

32°C

27°C

Cercarial Dermatitis in Austria

Alte Donau / Vienna 2002

Number of snails: 86 (from 6 collection sites) 6 Radix sp., 36 Planorbis planorbis 23 Bithynia tentaculata, 20 Physa acuta

=> no cercariae found with “cercarial release experiments”

Conclusion: more local/specific collections (dependent on

occurrence of cercarial dermatitis) needed Sample size should be extended

Cercarial Dermatitis in Austria

Achau / Lower Austria 2002

Date:03.07.2002

Time: 2 p.m.

Weather: sunny + windy

25°C

27°C

Cercarial Dermatitis in Austria

Achau / Lower Austria 2002

Cercarial Dermatitis in Austria

Achau / Lower Austria 2002

Number of snails: 4 (collected one week before) 4 Radix ovata

=> only echinostome cercariae found => but massive CD Conclusion:

Snail population maybe broken down after continuous heat (many empty shells) or snails in mud in deeper regions (2,5 – 3 metres)

Cercarial Dermatitis in Austria

Wöllersdorf / Lower Austria 2003

Date:11.06.2003

Time: 2.30 p.m.

Weather: hot & sunny

34°C

24°C

Cercarial Dermatitis in Austria

Wöllersdorf / Lower Austria 2003

Number of snails: 83 (collected the last days) 63 Planorbarius corneus 5 Lymnaea stagnalis, 3 Stagnicola sp., 1 Radix sp.

=> no cercariae found with “cercarial release experiments”

Conclusion: Sample size should be extended, most likely some

more snails are within the many water plants

Cercarial Dermatitis in Austria

Molecularbiology – Preliminary results

A specific PCR for the amplification of the ITS regions and 5.8S rRNA gene from cercariae and sporocysts in the digestive glands of snails has been established.

High sequence similarities of isolates within each host species and significant dissimilarities between isolates of different host species could be determined.

Cercarial Dermatitis in Austria

Project applied - Objectives

SYSTEMATICS & TAXONOMY

To install a method for the differentation of intermediate trematode stages and host snail taxa

To create an inventory of the species spectrum of the schistosomes which cause cercarial dermatitis and of the intermediate host snails

To record snail host specificity and the host spectrum of schistosomes

Cercarial Dermatitis in Austria

Project applied - Objectives

EPIDEMIOLOGY & ECOLOGY

To study the epidemiology and community structure of trematodes in selected snail species

To record the population dynamics of snails and the development of schistosomes within snails

To find correlations between population dynamics and diversity of hosts and parasites

Cercarial Dermatitis in Austria

Project applied - Objectives

ECONOMY & MEDICINE

To ensure the proper diagnosis of cercarial dermatitis

To generate guidelines for a risk evaluation and to develop an early warning system

To propose a catalogue of measures to minimise the risk of cercarial dermatitis

Cercarial Dermatitis in Austria

THANKSFOR YOURATTENTION

!

NO MORE !

VISIT THE NHM VIENNA !!

NO MORE !