Avian parasite detected in Portugal's Lake Alqueva signals rising swimmer's itch risk

Researchers confirmed Trichobilharzia franki, an avian schistosome, in Lake Alqueva, Portugal—the first official record in the country—finding infected Radix auricularia snails and linking Lake Alqueva to swimmer’s itch risk; while overall snail infection is low (0.6% lake-wide, 13.8% at the Campinho site), migratory birds may spread the parasite, prompting calls for ongoing water monitoring and One Health public health awareness.