Nature Communications (Dec 2021)

Water sources aggregate parasites with increasing effects in more arid conditions

  • Georgia Titcomb,
  • John Naisikie Mantas,
  • Jenna Hulke,
  • Ivan Rodriguez,
  • Douglas Branch,
  • Hillary Young

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-27352-y
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 1
pp. 1 – 12

Abstract

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Amid climate and land use changes, it is important to identify and monitor hotspots of animal activity where disease transmission can occur. Using experimental and observational methods in an East African savannah, this study shows water sources increase the concentration of faecal-oral parasites in the environment and that this effect is amplified in drier areas and following periods of low rainfall.