Primer hallazgo en Venezuela de huevos de Schistosoma mansoni y de otros helmintos de interés en salud pública, presentes en heces y secreción mucosa del molusco terrestre Achatina fulica (Bowdich, 1822)

in order to determine the presence of parasites in faeces as well as in mucous secretion of achatina fulica snails (452) snails were collected. twelve (12) groups from aragua state and 2 from portuguesa state were conformed. of 253 evaluated snails corresponding to el limón sector, mario brice？o iragorry municipality, maracay, aragua state, 8,70% turned out positive to eggs of schistosoma mansoni, 2,77% trichuris spp. and 5,93% hymenolepis spp., when analyzing the faeces samples. whereas for the 90 a. fulica snails from la pedrera sector, girardot municipality, aragua state, in 10,42% was evidenced the presence of strongyloides spp. larvae in faeces and in 9,52% of the same, when evaluating mucous secretion. the mucous secretion parasitological evaluation performed on every a. fulica snails groups, from aragua state as well as from portuguesa state, did not evidenced the presence of angiostrongylus spp. infecting larvae. however, it was confirmed the viability of s. mansoni eggs, which demonstrated the maintenance of the biological cycle of the parasite. based on the obtained results it is concluded that a. fulica it is a species of medical importance in venezuela, due to it？s value as a mechanic transporter of different helminths species and as an indicator for parasitic infections within the human population