Community perceptions of schistosomiasis transmission, prevalence and control in relation to aquatic habitats in the Lake Victoria Basin of Kenya

Background: Intestinal schistosomiasis caused by Schistosoma mansoni and urinary schistosomiasis caused by Schistosoma haematobium are widely distributed parasites in several localities of the Lake Victoria basin of Kenya; the former being more prevalent. In Kenya; transmission of the intestinal form of bilharzia (S. mansoni) tends to be closely confined to narrow zones along the shores of large bodies of water such as Lake Victoria where it is endemic and the intermediate host is found. The prevalence of S. mansoni along the Kenyan Lake Victoria basin ranges between 40. Objective: To assess the community's knowledge and perceptions of schistosomiasis prevalence; transmission and control in relation to aquatic habitats in the Lake Victoria basin of Kenya. Design: Community-based cross-sectional study. Setting: The Kenyan Lake Victoria basin. Subjects: Two hundred and forty three individuals (both women and men residing in the beaches and surrounding areas) were interviewed about their knowledge and perceptions regarding schistosomiasis. Results: The community regarded schistosomiasis as a naturalistic disease not caused by supernatural forces but by an agent of contamination in water. Knowledge on schistosomiasis transmission and control was low; with 42of the respondents having no idea on how schistosomiasis is contracted; while 22 and 18of the respondents mentioned contact with contaminated water and drinking / eating dirty water / food; respectively. Most respondents were familiar with the snails' habitats; but had poor knowledge on aquatic plants harbouring snails; as 57of the respondents did not know about aquatic plants being associated with schistosomiasis snails. Only 3 of the respondents associated snails with schistosomiasis transmission. Sixty percent (60) of the respondents mentioned use of tablets and injections as means of treating schistosomiasis; while 38 had no idea how it is treated and 2 mentioned use of local herbs and services of medicine men. Conclusion: Majority of Kenyan Lake Victoria basin inhabitants had little awareness about schistosomiasis despite high prevalence of the disease in the region. There is need to adapt prevention and control strategies to the people's livelihoods. There is also need to target the less advantaged members of the community such as women; uneducated and subsistence farmers for intense health education strategies aimed at increasing participation in the control of schistosomiasis. Study to elicit divergence between biomedical and local understandings of schistosomiasis/bilharzia is suggested

Epidemiology; of Bilharzias (schistosomiasis) in Uganda from 1902 until 2005

Background: Schistosoma mansoni was observed and reported in Kuluva hospital Arua District in north western Uganda as early as 1902. S. mansoni is widely distributed in Uganda along permanent water bodies. Objective: To review the litreture on scistosomiasis in Uganda; since 1902. Method: The core literature for this short review was searched from reports and publications by the British colonial Ministry of Health Districts Medical officers and Entomologists. Additional information was obtained from Makerere University Medical School library archives; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine library archives; University of Antrwap; and post independence publications on schistosomiasis in Uganda in various journals. Results: Since it was first detected in 1902 Schistosoma (S) mansoni is more widely distributed in Uganda than S. haematobium. However Schistosoma mansoni and S. haematobium are of public health importance in Uganda and the importance of migrants and fishermen in disseminating infections into non-infested areas and intensifying infection in areas already infested have been reported. Conclusion: S. mansoni has been on the increase in Uganda whereas S. haematobium is localized in sporadic foci in the north of Uganda. Treatment with praziquantel the drug of choice in Uganda used in schistosomiasis control programme has reduced development of severe schistosomiasis

Bilharzioses au Senegal oriental : prevalence chez les enfants de la region de Bandafassi

Une enquete epidemiologique a etemenee au Senegal Oriental - arrondissements de Bandafassi - dans le but d'etablir la prevalence des bilharzioses intestinale et urinaire chez les enfants d'age scolaire de 6 a 14 ans. Les selles et les urines de 505 enfants de 10 villages ont ete examinees; et parallelement les points d'eaux susceptibles de constituer des biotopes pour lesmollusques hotes intermediaires - Biomphalaria sp. et Bulinus sp. - ont ete recenses et explores. L'existence de foyers perennes de bilharziose intestinale dans la region de Bandafassi au coeur de la brousse est etablie. La distribution sporadique de praziquantel se montre efficace mais totalement insuffisante pour eradiquer des foyers de Schistosoma mansoni perennes dans les sites explores

Epidemiology of schistosomiasis in Kampala; Uganda

A survey for intestinal schistosomiasis was carried out in grade six pupils (5;313 pupils; 10-15 years) in over 80of all primary schools in Kampal. The aim of the survey was to assess the prevalence and intensity of schistosomiasis in Kampala school children and to ascertain if transmission was occurring within the city. The prevalence of the disease was only 4.1(216/5;313) and egg load generally low (500 eggs per gram of stool). Most infected pupils came from areas outside Kampala known to be endemic for intestinal schistosomiasis. It cannot be precluded however; that some infections were contracted in Lake Victoria and the Kabaka's Lake within Kampala city. It was suggested that it would be more cost effective if schistosomiasis control measures were applied at this stage

Les bilharzioses humaines : rappel epidemiologique et situation de l'endemie au Senegal

La bilharziose urinaire; de par sa prevalence; occupe le second rang apres le paludisme; parmi les maladies parasitaires endemiques au Senegal. Elle sevit dans toutes les regions biogeographiques du Senegal; mais sa prevalence varie d'une localite a l'autre en fontion des conditions ecologiques. Quant a la bilharziose intestinale; elle a toujours existe sous formes de rares foyers dissemines. Elle a pris une importance particuliere depuis 1988 avec l'apparition d'une epidemie de cette maladie a Richard Toll dans le delta du fleuve Senegal

Schistosomiasis in the Finchaa River Valley, Wellega Region, western Ethiopia

Parasitological and malacological surveys were carried out in the Finchaa Valley; Wallega Region; Western Ethiopia. Stool examination of 960 persons in the 10 communities surveyed showed an average human prevalence of 12.4 per cent for Schistosoma mansoni. Infected individuals were present in 6 communities; but prevalence was greater than 10 per cent in only three of them; reaching 40 per cent among school children in one community. In endemic localities; the intensity of infection in terms of eggs per gram of faeces were 200 and 199 among school children and farm labours respectively. The age specific prevalence and intensity of infection were highest among the 5-14 year age group. The intermediate host of S. mansoni; Biomphalaria pfeifferi were collected from three sites; but transmission was identified at only one site located in the lower portion of the valley. Bulinus truncatus; the potential intermediate host of S. haematobium in Ethiopia; was also present in the area. The occurrence of infected human subjects and snail intermediate host confirm that Schistosoma mansoni is well established in the valley; particularly in the lower portion where a large irrigation development is under way. In this report; the threat posed by the S. mansoni and S. haematobium is discussed and the preventive/control measures to be taken are suggested

Etude epidemiologique du foyer de bilharziose a schistosoma intercalatum de Bata (Guinee Equatoriale)

Un antigene polysaccharidique caracteristique du genre schistosoma excrete dans l'urine est mis en evidence; avant et apres traitement par le praziquantel (40 mg/kg) dans la ville de Bata; ou un foyer de bilharziose a schistosoma intercalatum a ete identifie. Le test de detection urinaire de l'antigene met en jeu un anticorps monoclonal et fait appel a la technique d'inhibition de l'hemagglutination passive. Parmi les 779 sujets examines 145; soit 18;6 pour cent d'entre eux eliminent des oeufs de schistosoma intercalatum dans leurs selles et 305; soit 39;1 pour cent excretent de l'antigene dans les urines; ce qui dans la bilharziose traduit l'existence d'une profonde impregnation antigenique de l'organisme

Monitoring and evaluation of bilharzia control

A series of exercises on how to evaluate and monitor a programme to reduce the damage caused by schistosomiasis in Malawi