Honors College Theses
Publication Date
12-4-2019
Major
Biology (B.S.B.)
Document Type and Release Option
Thesis (open access)
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Stephen Greiman
Abstract
This study focused on the survey of 34 freshwater snail samples collected from NE Mongolia for larval flatworm parasites in the class Trematoda. 32 of the snail samples were infected, and the parasites were identified based on morphology and DNA sequences. Nine of the identified parasite samples were screened for the presence of bacterial endosymbionts in the genus Neorickettsia in the family Anaplasmataceae. All of the samples screened for Neorickettsia were negative for the bacterium. Species of Neorickettsia are known to cause several diseases such as Sennetsu Fever (in humans) and Potomac Horse Fever. There have been relatively few reliable reports of Neorickettsia outside of the United States, and there are currently no reports in Mongolia. This research aimed to increase our understanding of trematode and Neorickettsia diversity in Mongolia, as there is only one published report of trematodes in Mongolia, and no reports of Neorickettsia. Several species of trematode were identified, some imaged using SEM, and no Neorickettsia was detected.
Recommended Citation
Gallahue, Morgan, "Trematodes and Neorickettsia: diversity of Digeneans and their bacterial endosymbionts (Neorickettsia) in mollusk first intermediate hosts from eastern Mongolia" (2019). Honors College Theses. 460.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/honors-theses/460
