The human-snail transmission environment shapes long term schistosomiasis control outcomes: Implications for improving the accuracy of predictive modeling.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Schistosomiasis is a chronic parasitic trematode disease that affects over 240 million people worldwide. The Schistosoma lifecycle is complex, involving transmission via specific intermediate-host freshwater snails. Predictive mathematical models of Schistosoma transmission have often chosen to simplify or ignore the details of environmental human-snail interaction in their analyses. Schistosome transmission models now aim to provide better precision for policy planning of elimination of transmission. This heightens the importance of including the environmental complexity of vector-pathogen interaction in order to make more accurate projections.

Methodology and principal findings

We propose a nonlinear snail force of infection (FOI) that takes into account an in

SUBMITTER: Gurarie D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5983867 | biostudies-literature | 2018 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature