Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1038/s41598-020-60654-7
Licence creative commons licence
Title (Primary) Pesticide pollution in freshwater paves the way for schistosomiasis transmission
Author Becker, J.M.; Ganatra, A.A.; Kandie, F.; Mühlbauer, L.; Ahlheim, J.; Brack, W.; Torto, B.; Agola, E.L.; McOdimba, F.; Hollert, H.; Fillinger, U.; Liess, M.
Source Titel Scientific Reports
Year 2020
Department WANA; OEKOTOX
Volume 10
Page From art. 3650
Language englisch
Supplements https://static-content.springer.com/esm/art%3A10.1038%2Fs41598-020-60654-7/MediaObjects/41598_2020_60654_MOESM1_ESM.pdf
Abstract Schistosomiasis is a severe neglected tropical disease caused by trematodes and transmitted by freshwater snails. Snails are known to be highly tolerant to agricultural pesticides. However, little attention has been paid to the ecological consequences of pesticide pollution in areas endemic for schistosomiasis, where people live in close contact with non-sanitized freshwaters. In complementary laboratory and field studies on Kenyan inland areas along Lake Victoria, we show that pesticide pollution is a major driver in increasing the occurrence of host snails and thus the risk of schistosomiasis transmission. In the laboratory, snails showed higher insecticide tolerance to commonly found pesticides than associated invertebrates, in particular to the neonicotinoid Imidacloprid and the organophosphate Diazinon. In the field, we demonstrated at 48 sites that snails were present exclusively in habitats characterized by pesticide pollution and eutrophication. Our analysis revealed that insensitive snails dominated over their less tolerant competitors. The study shows for the first time that in the field, pesticide concentrations considered “safe” in environmental risk assessment have indirect effects on human health. Thus we conclude there is a need for rethinking the environmental risk of low pesticide concentrations and of integrating agricultural mitigation measures in the control of schistosomiasis.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=22863
Becker, J.M., Ganatra, A.A., Kandie, F., Mühlbauer, L., Ahlheim, J., Brack, W., Torto, B., Agola, E.L., McOdimba, F., Hollert, H., Fillinger, U., Liess, M. (2020):
Pesticide pollution in freshwater paves the way for schistosomiasis transmission
Sci. Rep. 10 , art. 3650 10.1038/s41598-020-60654-7