The incidence of schistosomiasis is rising globally because of irrigation and hydro-electric projects, shifts from nomadic to sedentary existence, and ineffective control programs that are not capable of coping with growing populations. To this end, the employment of automatic forecasting methods could locally support public health activities in controlling this neglected tropical disease (see Medina et al., e276).

Image Credit: Irrigation canal in Niono, Mali, by Masoud F. Tavazoie