Plastic pollution reshapes snail intermediate host life history: implications for schistosomiasis transmission

Summary

Plastic pollution in freshwater environments is making it easier for snails that carry a dangerous disease called schistosomiasis to survive and reproduce, which could lead to more people getting infected. This matters because schistosomiasis affects millions of people worldwide, and if plastic trash is helping the snails thrive, the disease could spread more easily in areas where people use contaminated water. Understanding this connection helps scientists predict disease outbreaks and develop better prevention strategies in communities that rely on rivers and lakes.