Predicting current habitat suitability for intermediate snail hosts of urogenital and intestinal schistosomiasis in the Lower Shire Valley floodplain of southern Malawi.
Journal:
Parasites & vectors
Published Date:
Aug 29, 2025
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Relating the geographical distribution of intermediate freshwater snail hosts (viz. vectors of schistosomes) to local environmental attributes offers value for understanding the epidemiological landscape of schistosomiasis transmission in a changing aquatic environment. Schistosomiasis-both urogenital and intestinal-causes significant human suffering, affecting approximately 240 million people globally and grouped within the neglected tropical disease (NTD) umbrella. This study addresses the following questions: 1. Where are the most suitable habitats for intermediate host snails in the Lower Shire Valley (LSV) in Malawi? 2. Which environmental factors are strongly associated with the geographical distribution of such snails in the LSV?
