Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 24, 2026
12:05
Mass Isolation and In Vitro Cultivation of Intramolluscan Stages of the Human Blood Fluke Schistosoma Mansoni
Published on: January 14, 2018
9.9K
Heterogeneity in schistosomiasis transmission dynamics
Lorenzo Mari1, Manuela Ciddio1, Renato Casagrandi1
1Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy.
Journal of Theoretical Biology
|August 22, 2017
Summary
Accounting for transmission heterogeneity is crucial for understanding schistosomiasis dynamics and control. Complex models reveal that community structure and environmental factors significantly impact parasite spread.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Parasitology
- Mathematical Modeling
Background:
- Disease transmission models often simplify heterogeneity.
- Schistosomiasis (caused by Schistosoma worms) requires accounting for transmission complexity.
- Heterogeneity impacts ecological and epidemiological dynamics of host-parasite interactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze transmission models incorporating various forms of heterogeneity.
- To evaluate the impact of heterogeneity on schistosomiasis dynamics and control.
- To extend the classic Macdonald model for macroparasite transmission.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of mathematical models with explicit heterogeneity.
- Inclusion of factors: differential transmission risk, water contact, snail population distribution, human mobility, and environmental seasonality.
- Use of simple numerical examples for illustration.
Main Results:
- Heterogeneous communities may exhibit higher schistosomiasis prevalence than homogeneous ones.
- Multiple water sources can potentially reduce parasite transmission.
- Spatial and temporal heterogeneities significantly influence disease endemicity.
Conclusions:
- Heterogeneity is a critical factor in schistosomiasis transmission dynamics.
- Understanding heterogeneity is key for effective disease control strategies.
- Findings are applicable to other complex parasitic infections like cysticercosis, dracunculiasis, and fasciolosis.
Related Concept Videos
00:58Symbiosis
37.8K
Symbiotic relationships are long-term, close interactions between individuals of different species that affect the distribution and abundance of those species. When a relationship is beneficial to both species, this is called mutualism. When the relationship is beneficial to one species but neither beneficial nor harmful to the other species, this is called commensalism. When one organism is harmed to benefit another, the relationship is known as parasitism. These types of relationships often...
37.8K
01:15Diversity of Protists I
1.5K
Excavata is a diverse group of protists that includes both chemoorganotrophic and phototrophic species, with some thriving in anaerobic environments. Among the key groups within Excavata are diplomonads and parabasalids, which are flagellated protists that lack mitochondria and chloroplasts. These microorganisms typically inhabit anoxic environments, such as the intestines of animals, where they exist either symbiotically or as parasites, relying on fermentation for energy production. Some...
1.5K
01:27Diversity of Protists II
1.5K
Alveolates are a group of organisms recognized by the presence of alveoli, which are cytoplasmic sacs located beneath the cell membrane. While their function remains uncertain, alveoli may help regulate water balance by controlling how much water enters and leaves the cell. In dinoflagellates, these structures may serve as armor plates. There are three major types of alveolates: ciliates, which move using cilia; dinoflagellates, which use flagella for movement; and apicomplexans, which are...
1.5K
01:27Diversity of Protists IV
1.4K
Amoebozoa represent a diverse group of terrestrial and aquatic protists that utilize lobe-shaped pseudopodia for locomotion and feeding. This characteristic differentiates them from the Rhizaria, which possess threadlike pseudopodia. The primary classifications within Amoebozoa include gymnamoebas, entamoebas, and the plasmodial and cellular slime molds. Phylogenetic evidence indicates that Amoebozoa diverged from a lineage that ultimately gave rise to fungi and animals.Gymnamoebas and...
1.4K