Dear all,

As far as I know, vertebrate infections with liver flukes are acquired
through the ingestion of metacercariae (encysted larval stage) which are
formed after the larva (cercaria) swims or crawls out of its intermediate
(snail) host.

Kurt is correct about Fossaria (and many other lymneids) being important
intermediate host for the liver fluke Fasciola hepatica, which is an
important parasite of grazing animals in many parts of the world.

There are many other flukes infesting man and other vertebrates.  Each one
must pass through a stage in the tissues of a snail to complete its life
cycle.  See <http://home.sprynet.com/~wfrank/mollusks.htm> for a little more.

Harry


At 08:35 AM 9/13/00 -0400, you wrote:
>Various lymnaeids carry liver flukes which have infected humans....I guess
>through open wounds.  Fossaria is a genus that comes to mind, at least here
>in Florida.  The life cycle unsually runs through grazing animals.
>Fossaria is often amphibious, occuring in wetter places in pastureland....
>And there are some websites on this although I have none listed in my
>"Favorites" section...If interested, do a search on liver flukes....
>
>Kurt
>
>At 11:51 AM 9/12/00 -0400, you wrote:
>>        I don't know of any human parasites that are carried by land snails,
>>nor can I imagine what the mode of transmission from snail to human might
>>be, unless you ate them raw.

Harry G. Lee
Suite 500
1801 Barrs St.
Jacksonville, FL 32204
USA   904-384-6419
<[log in to unmask]>
Visit the Jacksonville Shell Club Home Page at:
http://home.sprynet.com/~wfrank/jacksonv.htm

oo  .--.  oo  .--.  oo  .--.
 \\(____)_ \\(____)_ \\(____)_
  `~~~~~~~` `~~~~~~~` `~~~~~~~`