Aestivation Experiment Data for "Resting in plain sight: Dormancy ecology of the intermediate snail host of Schistosoma haematobium."

Scientists often neglect the dry season biology of vectoring populations because the challenge of surveying in cryptic dormancy locations. Yet, their capacity for endurance through these harsh conditions is fundamental to vector and parasite population outcomes. In this study, we describe the challenging discovery process our team went through that led to a better understanding of the diversity of dormancy locations and impressive resilience of Bulinus nasutus. This snail species transmits Schistosoma haematobium- the causative agent of the neglected tropical disease urinary schistosomiasis. We combine our findings from field surveys in nine agricultural pond sites with simulated dormancy experiments to explore the consequences of schistosome infection on dormancy survival. The added physiological stress of infection seems to deter the capacity of snails to survive aestivation. There remain many open avenues of inquiry regarding the survival capacity of snails and their parasites-and the public health consequences-in landscapes with highly heterogenous seasonal drought conditions.