Review Article: The multifaceted role of nematodes in advancing the One Health approach

Nematodes are among the most diverse and abundant animal groups on our planet, and play key roles in ecosystems, agriculture and human health. This review explores their contributions from a One Health perspective, highlighting their impact on environmental, plant, animal and human well-being. Free-living nematodes are essential for nutrient cycling, decomposition and microbial regulation, and their responsiveness to various types of environmental perturbations makes them invaluable bioindicators. In agriculture, nematodes play a dual role: plant-parasitic species pose serious threats to crops, whereas free-living and entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) support sustainable farming by promoting soil health and serving as biocontrol agents. Advances in molecular tools, such as eDNA metabarcoding, have enhanced their use in environmental biomonitoring programmes. In biomedical research, Caenorhabditis elegans has advanced studies on disease, aging and drug discovery, whereas EPNs and marine nematodes show the potential to address antibiotic resistance. This review emphasizes the need for interdisciplinary efforts to fully leverage the ecological, agricultural and biomedical potential of nematodes and to demonstrate their value within the One Health framework in tackling global challenges.