Work

Climate and urbanization drive changes in the habitat suitability of Schistosoma mansoni competent snails in Brazil

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by Schistosoma parasites. Schistosoma are obligate parasites of freshwater Biomphalaria and Bulinus snails, thus controlling snail populations is critical to reducing transmission risk. As snails are sensitive to environmental conditions, we expect their distribution is significantly impacted by global change. Here, we used machine learning, remote sensing, and 30 years of snail occurrence records to map the historical and current distribution of forward-transmitting Biomphalaria hosts throughout Brazil. We identified key features influencing the distribution of suitable habitat and determined how Biomphalaria habitat has changed with climate and urbanization over the last three decades. Our models show that climate change has driven broad shifts in snail host range, whereas expansion of urban and peri-urban areas has driven localized increases in habitat suitability. Elucidating change in Biomphalaria distribution-while accounting for non-linearities that are difficult to detect from local case studies-can help inform schistosomiasis control strategies.

Source: Nature Communications

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48335-9

Authors: Caroline K. Glidden, Alyson L. Singleton, Andrew Chamberlin, Roseli Tuan, Raquel G. S. Palasio, Roberta Lima Caldeira, Antônio Miguel V. Monteiro, Kamazima M. M. Lwiza, Ping Liu, Vivian Silva, Tejas S. Athni, Susanne H. Sokolow, Erin A. Mordecai, Giulio A. De Leo

Institutions: Stanford University, Hopkins Marine Station, Institut Pasteur de São Paulo, Fiocruz Minas, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais, Stony Brook University, Harvard University, University of California, Santa Barbara

Language: English

Topic: Parasites and Host Interactions

Subfield: Parasitology

Field: Immunology and Microbiology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDGs: Life on land, Sustainable cities and communities, Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $6,790

Funders: National Science Foundation, Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo, National Institutes of Health, Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Fogarty International Center, Stanford University Center for Innovation in Global Health

Awards: A novel integration of fine scale ecological data, high-resolution precision mapping, and regional network modeling to investigate environmental drivers of schistosomiasis dynamics, G3521531014, Disentangling the human vector relationship to disrupt dengue and chikungunya virus outbreaks in Kenya, Belmont Forum Collaborative Research: Risk mapping and targeted snail control to support schistosomiasis elimination in Brazil and Cote d'Ivoire under future environmental change, Belmont Forum Collaborative Research: Risk mapping and targeted snail control to support schistosomiasis elimination in Brazil and Cote d'Ivoire under future environmental change, How land use change transforms the landscape of vector-borne disease, Modeling the influence of temperature on the evolution of vector-virus interactions, Leveraging environmental drivers to predict vector-borne disease transmission, Medical Scientist Training Program

OpenAlex ID: W4399810470

FWCI: 9.199

Cites: 57

Cited by: 24

Related to: 10