A novel integration of fine scale ecological data, high-resolution precision mapping, and epidemiological models to improve control of schistosomiasis dynamics

Eliminating human parasitic disease often requires interrupting complex transmission pathways. Even when drugs to treat people are available, disease control can be difficult if the parasite can persist in nonhuman hosts. In my talk, I will present the results of a ten-year research effort in Senegal to investigate the environmental determinants of schistosomiasis, a debilitating parasitic disease of poverty that affects more than 210 million people worldwide, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa. Specifically, I will present novel approaches to investigate schistosomiasis risk across spatial scales, integrating fine-scale field data with high-definition drone imagery, artificial intelligence for habitat classification, and disease dynamics modeling.