According to a study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), an institution supported by the “la Caixa” Foundation, outbreaks of polycystic echinococcosis, a life-threatening zoonotic disease, are caused by regional climate change. The findings are published in PNAS provide evidence of the impact of climate on neglected tropical diseases in the Amazon region, with implications for other zoonoses. Polycystic echinococcosis (PE) is a neglected, life-threatening zoonosis caused by an intestinal worm (Echinococcus vogeli) endemic to neotropical forests such as the Amazon. Although the disease is treatable, it can be fatal for about 1 in 3 infected people if not diagnosed early. The parasite normally lives in animal reservoirs but can be transmitted to people who handle infected animals, especially pacas (a large rodent that is usually hunted for food). (Lily Ramsey, LLM)