Mastomys natalensis (Smith, 1834) as a natural host for Schistosoma haematobium (Bilharz, 1852) Weinland, 1858 x Schistosoma bovis Sonsino, 1876 introgressive hybrids

• Published in: Parasitology Research
• Main Authors: Savassi, Boris A.E.S., Dobigny, Gauthier, Etougbétché, Jonas R., Avocegan, Thalasse T., Quinsou, François T., Gauthier, Philippe, Ibikounlé, Moudachirou, Moné, Hélène, Mouahid, Gabriel
• Other Authors: Ministère des Affaires Étrangères, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Agence Nationale de la Recherche, Ministère des Affaires Etrangères
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Springer Science and Business Media LLC 2021
• Subjects: Infectious Diseases; Insect Science; General Veterinary; General Medicine; Parasitology; Rattus rattus
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00436-021-07099-7; https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00436-021-07099-7.pdf; https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00436-021-07099-7/fulltext.html

Abstract Cercarial emission of schistosomes is a determinant in the transmission to the definitive host and constitutes a good marker to identify which definitive host is responsible for transmission, mainly in introgressive hybridization situations. Our goal was to test the hypothesis that micro-mammals play a role in Schistosoma haematobium , S . bovis , and/or S . haematobium x S . bovis transmission. Small mammal sampling was conducted in seven semi-lacustrine villages of southern Benin. Among the 62 animals trapped, 50 individuals were investigated for Schistosoma adults and eggs: 37 Rattus rattus , 3 Rattus norvegicus , 9 Mastomys natalensis , and 1 Crocidura olivieri . Schistosoma adults were found in four R. rattus and two M. natalensis , with a local prevalence reaching 80% and 50%, respectively . Two cercarial chronotypes were found from Bulinus globosus experimentally infected with miracidia extracted from naturally infected M. natalensis : a late diurnal and nocturnal chronotype, and an early diurnal, late diurnal, and nocturnal chronotype. The cytochrome C oxidase subunit I mtDNA gene of the collected schistosomes (adults, miracidia, and cercariae) belonged to the S . bovis clade. Eleven internal transcribed spacer rDNA profiles were found; four belonged to S . bovis and seven to S . haematobium x S . bovis . These molecular results together with the observed multi-peak chronotypes add M. natalensis as a new host implicated in S . haematobium x S . bovis transmission. We discuss the origin of the new chronotypes which have become more complex with the appearance of several peaks in a 24-h day. We also discuss how the new populations of offspring may optimize intra-host ecological niche, host spectrum, and transmission time period.