Schistosomes, snails and satellites.

This paper gives an overview of the recent progress made in the use and application of geographical information systems (GIS) and remotely sensed (RS) satellite sensor data for the epidemiology and control of schistosomiasis in sub-Saharan Africa. Details are given of the use of GIS to collate, map and analyse available parasitological data. The use of RS data to understand better the broad scale environmental factors influencing schistosome distribution is defined and examples detailed for the prediction of schistosomiasis in unsampled areas. Finally, the current practical application of GIS and remote sensing are reviewed in the context of national control programmes.