Climate Change Effects on Trematode and Nematode Diseases Affecting Children in Rural Areas of Developing Countries

Among climate change impact on human health, the effects on children living in poor rural areas of developing countries pose a series of question marks and risks related to climate-induced modifications of incidence, prevalence, intensity and geographical distribution of infectious diseases. Parasitic diseases are highly susceptible to climatic variables due to their transmission following the life cycle characteristics and links to abiotic and biotic factors of the environment of both parasite causal agents and transmitting invertebrate vectors. Helminthiases, mainly trematodiases and nematodiases, have recently shown to be also susceptible to changes induced by climate change and global warming. In several, as fascioliasis globally and schistosomiasis in Asia, consequences have already been demonstrated, including increases of disease transmission and human infection, as well as geographical spread. In many others, their transmission characteristics, highly dependent on climatic variables, have allowed to predict similar consequences by means of mathematical modelling, remote sensing from space satellites and geographical information system computer methods. The present review offers a baseline on the interaction of climate change and the characteristics of trematodiases and nematodiases known to have a great impact on children. The complexity of climate change variables is analyzed from the point of view of its expected impact on the different transmission phases of the diseases more susceptible to be modified, including fascioliasis, fasciolopsiasis, gastrodiscoidiasis, schistosomiasis, trichuriasis, ascariasis, visceral larva migrans by Toxocara, ancylostomiasis, necatoriasis, cutaneous larva migrans by ancylostomatids, lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis. Concluding remarks for future research and immediate action are finally added.