Agrochemicals increase risk of human schistosomiasis by supporting higher densities of intermediate hosts

Neal T. Halstead (), Christopher M. Hoover, Arathi Arakala, David J. Civitello, Giulio A. Leo, Manoj Gambhir, Steve A. Johnson, Nicolas Jouanard, Kristin A. Loerns, Taegan A. McMahon, Raphael A. Ndione, Karena Nguyen, Thomas R. Raffel, Justin V. Remais, Gilles Riveau, Susanne H. Sokolow and Jason R. Rohr
Additional contact information
Neal T. Halstead: University of South Florida
Christopher M. Hoover: University of California, Berkeley
Arathi Arakala: Monash University
David J. Civitello: Emory University
Giulio A. Leo: Stanford University
Manoj Gambhir: Monash University
Steve A. Johnson: University of Florida
Nicolas Jouanard: Centre de Recherche Biomédicale Espoir pour la Santé
Kristin A. Loerns: University of South Florida
Taegan A. McMahon: University of Tampa
Raphael A. Ndione: Centre de Recherche Biomédicale Espoir pour la Santé
Karena Nguyen: University of South Florida
Thomas R. Raffel: Oakland University
Justin V. Remais: University of California, Berkeley
Gilles Riveau: Centre de Recherche Biomédicale Espoir pour la Santé
Susanne H. Sokolow: Stanford University
Jason R. Rohr: University of South Florida

Nature Communications, 2018, vol. 9, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract Schistosomiasis is a snail-borne parasitic disease that ranks among the most important water-based diseases of humans in developing countries. Increased prevalence and spread of human schistosomiasis to non-endemic areas has been consistently linked with water resource management related to agricultural expansion. However, the role of agrochemical pollution in human schistosome transmission remains unexplored, despite strong evidence of agrochemicals increasing snail-borne diseases of wildlife and a projected 2- to 5-fold increase in global agrochemical use by 2050. Using a field mesocosm experiment, we show that environmentally relevant concentrations of fertilizer, a herbicide, and an insecticide, individually and as mixtures, increase densities of schistosome-infected snails by increasing the algae snails eat and decreasing densities of snail predators. Epidemiological models indicate that these agrochemical effects can increase transmission of schistosomes. Identifying agricultural practices or agrochemicals that minimize disease risk will be critical to meeting growing food demands while improving human wellbeing.

Date: 2018
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03189-w

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