Achatina fulica in rural zone of maringá, paraná: Environmental relations

Abstract

A B S T R A C T The objectives of this research are: 1) map the current spatial distribution of the mollusc Achatina fulica in the rural zone and its interaction with the environmental conditions in which they are found in the rural area of the municipality of Maringá, Paraná; 2) evaluate the potential risks to human health through the questionnaires used during the interviews; 3) assess whether the population is vulnerable to contamination by the giant African snail. The methodological procedures were established in the following steps: determining the sample size; distribution of points using the grid to not influence the choice of locations to be interviewed; authorization from the ethics board; field interviews; collections of variables in the field to relate to the snail; organize and tabulate the results; generate cartographic products; promote statistical analysis. 40 rural properties were detected that have the exotic species, dispersed in the vicinity of the residences, sheds, and not among the temporary cultures. The interviews indicated that most of the interviewees apply the procedures of manual contact in an appropriate way, whose purpose is to avoid contamination by the helminth Angiostrongylus sp. The risk is not exempt, as there are people with contact with the species without protection in their hands and, in more than 50% of the residences there are rodents (rats)-according to information raised with the residents. The snail was found at intermediate altitudes with declines of up to 12%. It was concluded that the rural area has favorable environmental conditions for the survival and reproduction of Achatina fulica, however, snails are found in specific places, thus increasing the chances of success in controlling the species.