Environmental DNA for the detection of Bulinus truncatus

IAGE developed a detection method using environmental DNA (eDNA) extracted from seawater that detected the primary host of the parasitic worm responsible for schistosomiasis, an acute and chronic disease transmitted by infested waters. Schistosomiasis transmission is known in 78 countries and in 2019 it was estimated that at least 236.6 million people needed preventive treatment for schistosomiasis, while the number of people treated was 105.4 million (source WHO). The method developed by IAGE could therefore make it possible to better identify people in need of preventive treatment.