Schistosomiasis is a snail-borne disease that has a considerable impact on human and animal health, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. The intermediate hosts of the schistosome parasites are freshwater snails of the genera Biomphalaria Preston, 1910 and Bulinus Müller, 1781. In order to identify existing gaps in the spread of the disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), this study compiled the available knowledge of the distribution, population dynamics and ecology of the intermediate hosts of schistosomiasis. A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase and Scopus for all malacological studies on schistosoma intermediate hosts in DRC published between 1927 and October 2022. A total of 55 records were found, of which 31 met the inclusion criteria: these were published field and experimental studies conducted in the DRC and focused on snails as intermediate hosts of schistosomes. The analysis of these studies revealed that more up-to-date data on the distribution of snail intermediate hosts in the DRC are needed. Moreover, ecological factors have been less studied for Bulinus species than for Biomphalaria species. These factors play a crucial role in determining suitable snail habitats, and the lack of comprehensive information poses a challenge in snail control. This review makes it clear that there are no current malacological data in the DRC. There is a clear need for molecular and ecological research to update the exact species status and population dynamics of all potential intermediate host species. This will facilitate targeted snail control measures that complement drug treatment in the control of schistosomiasis in the country.

• MeSH
• Biomphalaria * parazitologie   MeSH
• Bulinus parazitologie   MeSH
• hlemýždi parazitologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• Schistosoma fyziologie   MeSH
• schistosomóza * epidemiologie   veterinární   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• systematický přehled MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Konžská demokratická republika MeSH

• MeSH
• Biomphalaria MeSH
• Bulinus MeSH
• cizopasní červi MeSH
• vodní hospodářství MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Egypt MeSH

• MeSH
• Biomphalaria MeSH
• Echinostoma fyziologie   MeSH
• hlemýždi MeSH
• interakce hostitele a parazita MeSH
• Schistosoma MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH

• MeSH
• Biomphalaria MeSH
• Bulinus MeSH
• cizopasní červi MeSH
• hlemýždi MeSH
• Schistosoma patogenita   MeSH
• teplota MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Egypt MeSH