To sum up, our study reports a novel role of IL‐7 in regulation of macrophage autopahgy and identifies AMPK as a downstream target of IL‐7‐IL‐7R signalling, and suggests manipulation of macrophage autophagy through IL‐7‐IL‐7R pathway as a possible therapeutic option for schistosomiasis. The gene discussed is IL7R; the disease is schistosomiasis.