What cause the Schistosomiasis outbreak in Senegal?

How can human-caused changes to the environment impact human health?

This ETP was inspired by the research from Susanne Sokolow and Giulio De Leo along with other members of the De Leo Lab.

Dams can be beneficial for humans: a source of freshwater for humans, improved and consistent irrigation for farming, a way to counteract saltwater intrusion and a potential source of electricity. However, these changes can affect the ecology and human health of an area. In some parts of the world dams are associated with an increase of human schistosomiasis in populations upstream from a dam. Schistosomiasis, sometimes called bilharzia, is a disease that affects many, many people around the world. It can cause a rash, a serious infection, and/or fevers. Serious cases and reinfections of schistosomiasis can cause liver failure, bladder cancer, infertility, or death.

What caused the Schistosomiasis Outbreak in Senegal?

To attempt to answer this question, students participate in a jigsaw-type activity that includes using technology and real data to study schistosomiasis and ecological changes along the Senegal River. Just as real scientists, students collaborate in small “expert” groups that will study information and data specific to a certain topic. The expert groups include Public Health Officials, Prawn Fisherman, Hydrologists, and Ecologists. The expert groups analyze data, make models, and summarize information about their specific topics.

After the student experts have generated graphs and models, they leave their expert groups to meet in a group with experts from other fields. This group contains at least one expert from the groups above. They work together to develop a model that shows the relationships of the Senegal River System. Finally, they individually develop a claim to answer the question about the schistosomiasis outbreak. There will also be opportunities to propose a solution. This final project will be in the form of a digital class presentation or poster.