How an endangered prawn species can help protect people's health

Tropical & sub-tropical Africa is at the brink of losing a large chunk of its population to a deadly disease. Schistosomiasis is a parasitic neglected tropical disease that is hosted by snails residing in freshwater. A recent study by researchers from Stanford University suggests restocking an endangered prawn species Macrobrachium vollenhovenii in the water. The prawn will not only interrupt the life cycle of the snail and the disease itself, but also be a great source of protein for the community.