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One of the many benefits of open borders! Karl Hoffmann, a professor of parasitology at Aberystwyth University, writes in The Independent: Not so long ago, human diseases caused by parasitic worms were thought to be confined to resource poor communities throughout Africa, Asia and South America. But in this age of global travel and changing climate, parasitic worms are slowly but surely moving into parts of Europe and North America. The long-term consequences of increased parasitic worm distributions are difficult to predict, but the harm that infection causes highlights the need for developing control strategies that can mitigate this 21st-century...

IT'S the second most deadly parasitic disease - only malaria is more lethal. And schistosomiasis - also known as snail fever - could be set to invade Europe's shores. "Around 25-30% of humans are currently infected with at least one parasitic worm species," writes Karl Hoffmann, Professor of Parasitology at Aberystwyth University, for The Conversation. "The diseases they cause can be devastating. "Worm infections can lead to diverse and chronic conditions such as scarring of the eyes and blindness, swelling of extremities and immobility, blockage of digestion and malnutrition, anaemia and tiredness. "They can also increase an individual’s risk of...