bacteriology of the common fresh water snails in Egypt

ABSTRACT

The present work was designed to determine the microflora associated with the fresh water snails commonly found in freshwater canals and drains in Egypt. Different snails were collected from a randomly selected irrigation canal in Khorshid village, near Alexandria. They were identified and subjected to bacteriological isolation procedures using various culture media. Water samples were also taken from the microhabitat of each snail species and examined using the same bacteriological procedures applied for snails. The obtained results revealed that Esch.coli; Aci. calcoaceticus; Citro.freundi; Strept. faecalis; Eik.corrodens; Pr.vulgaris; Kl.aerogenes and Ent.cloacae were isolated from B. alexandrina snails, Ps. aeruginosa; Esch.coli and Aci.calcoaceticus were isolated from B.truncatus snails, Ps. aeruginosa; Esch.coli; Citro.freundi; Pr.vulgaris; Cl.perfringens; Y.enterocolitica and Aerobic spore bearing bacilli were isolated from L.cailliaudi snails. Ps.aeruginosa; Esch.coli; Strept.faecalis; Cl.perfringens; and Aerobic spore bearing bacilli were isolated from L.carinatus snails. Ps.aeruginosa; Cl.perfringens and Aerobic spore bearing bacilli were isolated from P.acuta snails. The results also showed that the bacterial agents isolated from snails' water microhabitat were Ps.aeruginosa [B.truncatus, L.carinatus and P.acuta snails]; Esch.coli [B.alexandria; B.trucatus and L.cailliaudi snails]; Aci.calcoaceticus [B.truncatus snails]; Strept.faecalis [B.alexandrina snails]; Pr.vulgaris [B.alexandrina snails]. From the obtained results, it was concluded that freshwater snails can play a role in transmission of potentially pathogenic bacteria. Besides at the same time such snails can be used as indicators of stream pollution