Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States; Center for Evolutionary and Theoretical Immunology (CETI), University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States
Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States; Center for Evolutionary and Theoretical Immunology (CETI), University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States
Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States; Center for Evolutionary and Theoretical Immunology (CETI), University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States; Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States
Martin W Mutuku
Centre for Biotechnology Research and Development, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
Gerald M Mkoji
Centre for Biotechnology Research and Development, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
Eric S Loker
Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States; Center for Evolutionary and Theoretical Immunology (CETI), University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States
Human disease agents exist within complex environments that have underappreciated effects on transmission, especially for parasites with multi-host life cycles. We examined the impact of multiple host and parasite species on transmission of the human parasite Schistosoma mansoni in Kenya. We show S. mansoni is impacted by cattle and wild vertebrates because of their role in supporting trematode parasites, the larvae of which have antagonistic interactions with S. mansoni in their shared Biomphalaria vector snails. We discovered the abundant cattle trematode, Calicophoron sukari, fails to develop in Biomphalaria pfeifferi unless S. mansoni larvae are present in the same snail. Further development of S. mansoni is subsequently prevented by C. sukari’s presence. Modeling indicated that removal of C. sukari would increase S. mansoni-infected snails by two-fold. Predictable exploitation of aquatic habitats by humans and their cattle enable C. sukari to exploit S. mansoni, thereby limiting transmission of this human pathogen.
