Research outline: the first detection of sporocyst of Dicrocoelium chinensis in Japan

Abstract

Trematodes of the genus Dicrocoelium are one of the most common parasites of ruminant animals, but their lifecycles are unclear in Japan; however, sporocysts of D. chinensis were found for the first time in this country. In this study, snail survey was carried out at a location of high-level infection of sika deer in Gifu Prefecture, Honshu Island in autumn. The authors in that study found immature sporocysts in the hepatopancreas of the land snail Aegista vulgivaga, and identified as D. chinensis based on DNA barcoding. The result indicated that this snail has potential as the first intermediate host of D. chinensis at this location, and suggested that A. vulgivaga is important for the control of dicrocoeliasis in livestock in Japan. This manuscript provides the background and summary of research described in Waki et al..