Abstract :
In the UK, recent mean temperatures have consistently increased by between 18C and 48C compared to the 30-year monthly
averages. Furthermore, all available predictive models for the UK indicate that the climate is likely to change further and
feature more extreme weather events and a trend towards wetter, milder winters and hotter, drier summers. These changes will
alter the prevalence of endemic diseases spatially and/or temporally and impact on animal health and welfare. Most notable
among these endemic parasites are the helminths, which have been shown to be very strongly influenced by both the shortterm
weather and climate through effects on their free-living larval stages on pasture. In this review, we examine recent trends
in prevalence and epidemiology of key helminth species and consider whether these could be climate-related. We identify likely
effects of temperature and rainfall on the free-living stages and some key parasite traits likely to determine parasite abundance
under changed climatic conditions. We find clear evidence that climate change, especially elevated temperature, has already
changed the overall abundance, seasonality and spatial spread of endemic helminths in the UK. We explore some confounders
and alternative explanations for the observed patterns. Finally, we explore the implications of these findings for policy makers
and the livestock industry and make some recommendations for future research priorities
Keywords :
endemic disease , parasite , Ecology , Seasonality , Adaptation
