Towards implementing genomic epidemiology for helminth control and elimination

Helminths, commonly referred to as parasitic worms, infect over a billion people and countless animals worldwide. Because they are major drivers of disease, understanding the epidemiology of helminth infections-what parasites are present, where they occur, and how they change over time-is key to controlling them. However, traditional diagnostic tools primarily measure infection status or intensity at a single time point, whereas effective control requires understanding changes over space and time, information these tools cannot directly capture. The increasing use of genomics is providing new, epidemiologically relevant insights into helminth population structure, transmission, zoonotic risk, and drug resistance. In this opinion article, we discuss the challenges and opportunities of applying genomics to helminth epidemiology, arguing that it will provide operationally meaningful information to support control efforts.