The influence of snail host microbiome in trematode parasite resistance - MicroResist (MicroResist)

Gastropod-borne diseases (GBDs) affect more than 300 million people worldwide but also lead to economic losses and mortality in livestock. Schistosomiasis is one of the most prevalent tropical infections in Africa, affecting almost 200 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa. The realization that mass drug treatment alone does not suffice to control the disease, renewed the focus on snail control. Molluscicides have however detrimental effects on the aquatic ecosystem, thus new sustainable methods are needed. Recent preliminary research pointed to a potential link between the microbiome of the snail intermediate host and its resistance to schistosome infection.

Here we want to test such relationship by analysing microbial diversity through 16S metabarcoding on naturally infected gastropods (museum collections) and experimentally infected snails. Our results could alter disease control measures towards non-lethal probiotic treatments, limiting the use of detrimental molluscicides.