Investigación eco-epidemiológica de la plaga caracol gigante africano (L. fulica) y su potencial impacto en la salud ambiental del Valle del Cauca

Abstract

In recent years, Lissachatina fulica (Bowdich 1822), or giant African snail, is one of the most conspicuous invasive species in Colombia. Particularly, its biology, besides to the habitat and climatic conditions and its affinity with the human aggregations, have allowed a rapid dissemination of this species throughout the national territory. Although only 14 years have passed since the first confirmed record of Lissachatina fulica in Colombia, to date it has been reported in 24 departments, although mainly associated with urban centers in the inter-Andean valleys of the Cauca River and Magdalena River, the Pacific region, the Caribbean, the Orinoquía and even in the Andean zone. Lissachatina fulica is a large snail that can reach up to 14 cm in length, with a maximum abundance records of 1400 ind/ha in the urban environment of the city of Cali. Their clutches contain between 35 to 290 eggs; the hatching time is between 10 to 14 days and reaching reproductive maturity in just 3 months. The low genetic diversity recorded suggests that in the region this species is still in the recent invasion stage. However, the high availability of empty shells in recreative urban areas could enhance the incidence of other zoonotic disease vectors such as mosquitoes, with the use of the water accumulated in the empty shells as a reservoir for the eggs and larvae of mosquito’s species that are considered vectors of the dengue, yellow fever, Chikungunya or Zika viruses.