Breaking Transmission of Snail-Borne Parasitic Diseases: Advances and Perspectives in Freshwater Snail Control

Theodor Bilharz Research Institute

Bibliographic Information

Authors: Hussein A.A.A.; Mahmoud M.M.; Gad El-Karim R.M.; Ali R.E.M.

Journal: Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries

Publisher: Egyptian Society for the Development of Fisheries and Human Health

Publication Date: 1 May 2026

Volume / Issue: Volume 30 / Issue 3

Pages: 517–543

ISSN: 11106131

DOI: 10.21608/ejabf.2026.467152.7529

Scopus: View on Scopus

Document Type: Review

Access: All Open Access; Gold Open Access

Authors and Affiliations

Hussein A.A.A., Medical Malacology Department, Theodore Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, Egypt; Mahmoud M.M., Medical Malacology Department, Theodore Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, Egypt; Gad El-Karim R.M., Medical Malacology Department, Theodore Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, Egypt; Ali R.E.M., Medical Malacology Department, Theodore Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, Egypt

Abstract

Snail-borne parasitic diseases, including schistosomiasis and fascioliasis, remain major public health and socioeconomic challenges in tropical and subtropical regions. Freshwater snails act as obligatory intermediate hosts for trematode parasites, and their presence is essential for sustaining transmission. Although preventive chemotherapy has reduced disease morbidity, it does not interrupt transmission, and reinfection remains common in endemic areas. Consequently, renewed attention has been directed toward control strategies that target snail intermediate hosts as a complementary and often decisive component of disease control and elimination programs. This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of freshwater snail control approaches, integrating environmental, biological, chemical, and emerging technologies. Environmental management strategies, such as habitat modification, vegetation removal, and canal lining, are discussed as sustainable interventions that reduce snail habitats and transmission risk. Biological control methods, including the use of predators, competitors, and pathogens, are evaluated for their ecological compatibility and long-term potential. Chemical control, particularly the use of synthetic molluscicides, plant-derived compounds, photosensitizers, and fertility regulators, is critically assessed with emphasis on effectiveness, limitations, and non-target impacts. Emerging applications of nanomaterials are highlighted as promising tools with enhanced molluscicidal efficacy, while acknowledging current knowledge gaps regarding environmental safety. By integrating ecological, epidemiological, and mechanistic evidence, this review emphasizes that no single approach is sufficient for sustainable control. Instead, integrated snail control strategies tailored to local ecological and socioeconomic contexts are essential for reducing transmission and supporting long-term elimination of snail-borne parasitic diseases. © 2026, Egyptian Society for the Development of Fisheries and Human Health. All rights reserved.

Keywords

Biological control; Environmental management; Fascioliasis; Intermediate host control; Molluscicides; Nanomaterials; Schistosomiasis

Citation Information

Scopus Citations: 0

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