Snails as vectors of parasites and pathogens in Australia: determining the parasitomes of native and invasive snail species

Snails are invasive species that can negatively impact both the environment and agriculture. They commonly serve as hosts for a variety of pathogens and parasites, acting as accidental, intermediate, or definitive hosts for organisms that may be transmitted to other molluscs, invertebrates, or vertebrates, including humans. Snails can pose significant biosecurity risks to the environment, agriculture, and both animal and human health, particularly when they spread to new areas carrying novel variants or exotic pathogens that may infect naïve hosts. Due to their ability to conceal themselves in cracks and crevices, snails are often difficult to detect and intercept. Despite this, they are regularly intercepted at Australia’s borders. This dataset was generated to investigate the pathogens and parasites transmitted by snails, as well as their associated microbiomes.
The dataset presented here comprises RNA-seq raw reads generated from whole snail tissue, provided in FASTQ format. Additionally, assembled transcripts for each library are included in FASTA format. This data may be valuable for downstream analyses, including studies on gene expression, host parasite interactions, or microbiome composition.
Some libraries included in this dataset, have been deposited in an external repository and are publicly available. DRYAD. Published May 28, 2025 on Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.xgxd254s0