One health approach to control and understanding the dynamics of fascioliasis and schistosomiasis in the context of climate change in Rwanda and Tanzania

Call for Proposal: CA22-0013

Programme title: One Health as a transdisciplinary ecosystem approach for vector-borne diseases in the context of climate change

Project ID: P22-00834

Project Title: One health approach to control and understanding the dynamics of fascioliasis and schistosomiasis in the context of climate change in Rwanda and Tanzania

Executive Summary / Abstract:

Snail-borne diseases comprise a group of food and water borne zoonotic diseases with schistosomiasis and fascioliasis being the leading causes of illness, death and chronic debilitating ailments
globally especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Both disease conditions require an intermediate fresh-water snail host to complete their life cycles and as a critical stage in their transmission from
mainly domesticated livestock primary hosts to humans as their secondary hosts. Of critical importance and as noted from success stories in other parts of the world where snail-borne
trematodiases have been successfully controled, is the central role of fresh-water snails in disease transmission. This study aims to develop and implement One Health strategies for the control of
fresh-water snail populations as a means to disrupt the transmission cycles of fascioliasis and schistosomiasis from livestock to humans.
A multidisciplinary, participatory, One Health approach to the control of schistosomiasis and fascioliasis, particularly considering the impact of climate change on disease dynamics is the most
sustainable approach for their elimination as a public health problem. A series of participatory community an stakeholder engagement meetings will be held with high-risk communities in Rwanda
and Tanzania. Training on risk awareness, management and diagnostic approaches for fascioliasis and schistosomiasis will be conducted for practitioners from human health, animal welfare and
public health environmental officers operating in local communities. Point prevalences of fascioliasis and schistosomiasis will be estimated from the study populations including abattoir animal
inspection for estimates in livestock from the same area. A 10-year retrospective review of meteorological data from target areas will be assessed alongside the presence and species of fresh-water
snails trapped. Participatory stakeholder meetings will be conducted with national policy representatives and affected community representatives to review control guidelines and policies for
fresh-water snails to co-produce sustainable, One Health control policies for snail-borne trematodiases.
Sustainable and environmentally friendly One Health approaches to control fresh-water snail populations could potentially interrupt the parasites’ life cycles and effectively disrupt their
transmission. Furthermore, such approaches would present little danger to the livelihoods of at risk populations whilst ensuring better access to clean and potable water. Participatory
engagement activities between researchers, at-risk communities and national stakeholders in policy development are advocated for sustainable, public good interventions. This transdisciplinary, participatory engagement project aims to develop and build collaborative networks between public health, animal health and environmental practitioners, learning from their
combined approaches to advise the development of policies for the control of fresh-water snail transmitted diseases in Rwanda and Tanzania