During the course of a survey carried out from 2000 to 2001
in the Centro Fluminense Mesoregion of the State of Rio de Janeiro 22 molluscan
species were found. Many of the records are new due to the dearth of previous
studies. Concerning the snail hosts of
Schistosoma mansoni
, the most frequently encountered species was
Biomphalaria tenagophila
, as it occurred in all the surveyed municipalities. There are new records
of
Biomphalaria straminea
and
Biomphalaria peregrina
which is regarded as a potential intermediate host.
Drepanotrema lucidum
and
Antillorbis nordestensis
were found to be shedding echinostome cercariae and strigid cercariae respectively.
An account about the current schistosomiasis transmission sites in this
Mesoregion is presented as well.
