Predicting impacts of climate change on Fasciola hepatica risk.

Fasciola hepatica (liver fluke) is a physically and economically devastating parasitic trematode whose rise in recent years has been attributed to climate change. Climate has an impact on the free-living stages of the parasite and its intermediate host Lymnaea truncatula, with the interactions betwe...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Naomi J Fox, Piran C L White, Colin J McClean, Glenn Marion, Andy Evans, Michael R Hutchings
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2011-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3018428?pdf=render
_version_ 1818658189038583808
author Naomi J Fox
Piran C L White
Colin J McClean
Glenn Marion
Andy Evans
Michael R Hutchings
author_facet Naomi J Fox
Piran C L White
Colin J McClean
Glenn Marion
Andy Evans
Michael R Hutchings
author_sort Naomi J Fox
collection DOAJ
description Fasciola hepatica (liver fluke) is a physically and economically devastating parasitic trematode whose rise in recent years has been attributed to climate change. Climate has an impact on the free-living stages of the parasite and its intermediate host Lymnaea truncatula, with the interactions between rainfall and temperature having the greatest influence on transmission efficacy. There have been a number of short term climate driven forecasts developed to predict the following season's infection risk, with the Ollerenshaw index being the most widely used. Through the synthesis of a modified Ollerenshaw index with the UKCP09 fine scale climate projection data we have developed long term seasonal risk forecasts up to 2070 at a 25 km square resolution. Additionally UKCIP gridded datasets at 5 km square resolution from 1970-2006 were used to highlight the climate-driven increase to date. The maps show unprecedented levels of future fasciolosis risk in parts of the UK, with risk of serious epidemics in Wales by 2050. The seasonal risk maps demonstrate the possible change in the timing of disease outbreaks due to increased risk from overwintering larvae. Despite an overall long term increase in all regions of the UK, spatio-temporal variation in risk levels is expected. Infection risk will reduce in some areas and fluctuate greatly in others with a predicted decrease in summer infection for parts of the UK due to restricted water availability. This forecast is the first approximation of the potential impacts of climate change on fasciolosis risk in the UK. It can be used as a basis for indicating where active disease surveillance should be targeted and where the development of improved mitigation or adaptation measures is likely to bring the greatest benefits.
first_indexed 2024-12-17T03:53:25Z
format Article
id doaj.art-5889a2681e62462284e9148433d8a6e3
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1932-6203
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-17T03:53:25Z
publishDate 2011-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj.art-5889a2681e62462284e9148433d8a6e32022-12-21T22:04:41ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032011-01-0161e1612610.1371/journal.pone.0016126Predicting impacts of climate change on Fasciola hepatica risk.Naomi J FoxPiran C L WhiteColin J McCleanGlenn MarionAndy EvansMichael R HutchingsFasciola hepatica (liver fluke) is a physically and economically devastating parasitic trematode whose rise in recent years has been attributed to climate change. Climate has an impact on the free-living stages of the parasite and its intermediate host Lymnaea truncatula, with the interactions between rainfall and temperature having the greatest influence on transmission efficacy. There have been a number of short term climate driven forecasts developed to predict the following season's infection risk, with the Ollerenshaw index being the most widely used. Through the synthesis of a modified Ollerenshaw index with the UKCP09 fine scale climate projection data we have developed long term seasonal risk forecasts up to 2070 at a 25 km square resolution. Additionally UKCIP gridded datasets at 5 km square resolution from 1970-2006 were used to highlight the climate-driven increase to date. The maps show unprecedented levels of future fasciolosis risk in parts of the UK, with risk of serious epidemics in Wales by 2050. The seasonal risk maps demonstrate the possible change in the timing of disease outbreaks due to increased risk from overwintering larvae. Despite an overall long term increase in all regions of the UK, spatio-temporal variation in risk levels is expected. Infection risk will reduce in some areas and fluctuate greatly in others with a predicted decrease in summer infection for parts of the UK due to restricted water availability. This forecast is the first approximation of the potential impacts of climate change on fasciolosis risk in the UK. It can be used as a basis for indicating where active disease surveillance should be targeted and where the development of improved mitigation or adaptation measures is likely to bring the greatest benefits.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3018428?pdf=render
spellingShingle Naomi J Fox
Piran C L White
Colin J McClean
Glenn Marion
Andy Evans
Michael R Hutchings
Predicting impacts of climate change on Fasciola hepatica risk.
PLoS ONE
title Predicting impacts of climate change on Fasciola hepatica risk.
title_full Predicting impacts of climate change on Fasciola hepatica risk.
title_fullStr Predicting impacts of climate change on Fasciola hepatica risk.
title_full_unstemmed Predicting impacts of climate change on Fasciola hepatica risk.
title_short Predicting impacts of climate change on Fasciola hepatica risk.
title_sort predicting impacts of climate change on fasciola hepatica risk
url http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3018428?pdf=render
work_keys_str_mv AT naomijfox predictingimpactsofclimatechangeonfasciolahepaticarisk
AT piranclwhite predictingimpactsofclimatechangeonfasciolahepaticarisk
AT colinjmcclean predictingimpactsofclimatechangeonfasciolahepaticarisk
AT glennmarion predictingimpactsofclimatechangeonfasciolahepaticarisk
AT andyevans predictingimpactsofclimatechangeonfasciolahepaticarisk
AT michaelrhutchings predictingimpactsofclimatechangeonfasciolahepaticarisk