{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,9]],"date-time":"2026-10-09T22:01:33Z","timestamp":1791583293193,"version":"4.3.4"},"reference-count":36,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,23]],"date-time":"2025-03-23T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1742688000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT)","award":["UID\/04413\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UID\/04413\/2020"]}]},{"name":"Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT)","award":["LA\/P\/0117\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["LA\/P\/0117\/2020"]}]},{"name":"LA-REAL","award":["UID\/04413\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UID\/04413\/2020"]}]},{"name":"LA-REAL","award":["LA\/P\/0117\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["LA\/P\/0117\/2020"]}]},{"name":"Project PTDC-2022.01349","award":["UID\/04413\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UID\/04413\/2020"]}]},{"name":"Project PTDC-2022.01349","award":["LA\/P\/0117\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["LA\/P\/0117\/2020"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Pathogens"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Physella acuta is an invasive freshwater snail with a global distribution and a recognized role as an intermediate host for various trematodes, including Echinostoma spp. and Trichobilharzia physellae. In Portugal, P. acuta is commonly found in freshwater bodies such as Lake Alqueva, the largest artificial reservoir in Europe. The lake\u2019s creation has altered local ecosystems, influencing freshwater snail populations and migratory bird activity, which may contribute to the dispersal of trematode parasites. While P. acuta is present in the region, its role in trematode transmission remains unclear. This study investigated P. acuta as a potential intermediate host for trematodes in Lake Alqueva. Freshwater snails were collected from 18 sites, with cercarial shedding induced under artificial light. Infected snails were found in 2 of the 18 snail populations surveyed. A sequence analysis of the amplified ITS2 rDNA region confirmed the presence of Posthodiplostomum sp., implicating, for the first time, P. acuta as an intermediate host for this parasite in Portugal. This study highlights the need for further research on P. acuta\u2019s role in trematode transmission and potential impact on local ecosystems to assess parasitic risks to veterinary and public health.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/pathogens14040304","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,24]],"date-time":"2025-03-24T07:46:50Z","timestamp":1742802410000},"page":"304","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["Physella acuta Confirmed as Intermediate Host of Posthodiplostomum sp. from Lake Alqueva, Portugal"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0001-6601-9148","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maria Teresa","family":"Bispo","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), LA-REAL, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Rua da Junqueira 100, 1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7748-4643","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Isabel Larguinho","family":"Maur\u00edcio","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), LA-REAL, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Rua da Junqueira 100, 1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3150-1791","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Pedro Manuel","family":"Ferreira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), LA-REAL, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Rua da Junqueira 100, 1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8701-8657","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Silvana","family":"Belo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), LA-REAL, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Rua da Junqueira 100, 1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Manuela","family":"Calado","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), LA-REAL, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Rua da Junqueira 100, 1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,23]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"57","DOI":"10.1017\/S0031182001007697","article-title":"A perspective on the ecology of trematode communities in snails","volume":"123","author":"Esch","year":"2001","journal-title":"Parasitology"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"61","DOI":"10.1186\/s41182-024-00632-1","article-title":"Freshwater snail-borne parasitic diseases in Africa","volume":"52","author":"Gaye","year":"2024","journal-title":"Trop. 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