Mollusca of Medical

Importance [Snails]
GEORGE C KASONDA
MD,MMED PEDIATRICS AND
CHILD HEALTH

Learning Objectives
By the end of this session, students are
expected to be able to:
Define snail
Classify snail of medical importance
Explain the morphological characteristics
of snails
Explain steps in the life cycles of snails
Describe medical importance of snails
Describe the control measures of snails

Classification and Characteristics

of Snails of Medical Importance
Snails are terrestrial and aquatic invertebrate of the
order gastropoda that can be identified by hamped
shell, mucus secretion and use of its soft shapeless
muscles for locomotion.

Classification
Snails (Mollusca) of medical importance belong to three
genera
Bulinus example bulinus truncates and bulinus africanus
Biomphalaria example biomphalaria alexandrina and
Biomphalaria glabrata
Onchomelania example oncomelania quadrasi and
oncomelania nosophora

General Characteristics of Snails

of Medical Importance
The head has a pair of retractable
tentacles with eyes located at the ends
Have a single shell or valve (snails)
May be freshwater or terrestrial
Aquatic snails breath through gills
Aquatic snails also use their radula to
scrape algae for food
Terrestrial snails use their mantle cavity
as a modified lung

 They use radula to saw off leaves for

food
Retreat into shell in dry periods and
seals opening with mucus
Have open circulatory system
Secrete mucus and use muscular
foot to move
Aquatic snails have separate sexes
while terrestrial are hermaphrodite

Morphology of Terrestrial
Snail

Distinguishing Features of Snails

of Medical Importance
Bulinus
Bulinus snails are ovoid with a short
conical body (spire) measuring about
1-2 cm.
The opening (aperture) is on the left
side of the snail.
These snails feed on vegetation and
prefer muddy habitats.
They prefer light and avoid darkness

Bulinus

Biomphalaria
These are flat and round resembling
a disc (discoid)
They measure 1- 3 cm
These snails feed on vegetation and
prefer muddy habitats.
They prefer light and avoid darkness

Biomphalaria

Onchomelania
These snails are both aquatic and
terrestrial (they are amphibious)
They are very small measuring about
1cm
They are ovoid with a steep conical
spire

Onchomelania

Life Cycles of Snails

All species of Biomphalaria and Bulinus are
hermaphrodite, possessing both male and female
organs and being capable of self or cross-fertilization.
A single specimen can invade and populate a new
habitat.
The eggs are laid at intervals in batches of 540, each
batch being enclosed in a mass of jelly-like material.
The young snail hatches from an egg after 68 days
and reach maturity in 47 weeks, depending on the
species and environmental conditions.

 Temperature and food availability are

among the most important limiting
factors.
A snail lays up to 1000 eggs during its life
time, which may last more than a year.
The amphibious onchomelania snails,
which may live for several years, have
separate
sexes.
The female lays its eggs singly near the
water margin.

General Life Cycle of a Snail

Medical Importance of
Snails
The snails are considered
to be intermediate hosts because they
harbour asexual stages of the human parasite schistosoma.

Bulinus
Transmits Schistosoma haematobium that leads to urinary
schistosomiasis.
Biompharalia
Biomphalaria transmits Schistosoma mansoni that leads to
intestinal schistosomiasis.
Oncomelania
Oncomelania transmits Schistosoma japonicum that leads to
intestinal schistosomiasis.

Control Measures for

Snails
Molluscicides (although are potential for
environmental destruction )
o The destruction of snails using molluscides is
costly and difficult to achieve in rivers and lakes

o Plant herbicides are selectively used

Drainage of swamps and flooding
Change salinity of water
Biological control using ducks, fish and other
predator snails.

Key Points
Snails are terrestrial and aquatic invertebrate of
the order gastropoda.
The snails are considered to be intermediate
hosts because they harbour the asexual stages
of parasite
Snails of medical importance belong to three
genera including bulinus that transmits
schistosoma haematobium , biomphalaria that
transmits schistosoma mansoni and
onchomelania that transmits schistosoma
japonicum.

Evaluation
What are the morphological
characteristics of snails of medical
importance?
What is the importance of each of
the three snails of medical
importance?
What are the ways to control snails?