Identification and distribution of intermediate host snails in Mecha woreda, Amhara, North West of Ethiopia

Abstract

During summer, July 2016, Five kebeles of Mecha woreda were selected randomly and all the potential habitat of snails were visited including edges of springs, irrigation canals ,swamps, dam areas and some moist bushy places covered with plants. Five different kinds of snail genus were collected and identified as 46.1% land snails of the genus Helix, 23.7% Lymnaea, 13.2% Bulinus, and 9.2% Planorbin, and 7.9% Oncomelania. The majority of the land snails being found in moist bushy biotopes, the Lymnaea in swampy and irrigation canals whereas most of Bulinus, Planorbis, and Oncomelania being commonly found at the edges of rivers and near dams. Then in conclusion, as evidenced from the study, the study area is conducive environment for survival of snail intermediate host and overall prevalence of Fasciola species.