Environmental factors influencing the distribution and prevalence of Schistosoma haematobium in school attenders of ILembe and uThungulu Health Districts, KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa

Schistosoma haematobium infection is reported to facilitate the development of urogenital diseases. Its symptoms include haematuria, dysuria and tiredness, and it may cause cognitive decline in children. The prevalence of S. haematobium infection needs to be known in endemic areas and a mass treatment programme against the disease implemented. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and intensity of S. haematobium infection in ILembe and uThungulu health districts, using the major symptom, haematuria, as an indicator. A total of 6 265 urine samples, from 96 rural schools, was collected for analysis using dipsticks. The prevalence of haematuria in the ILembe health district was 37% (95% CI, 35­39%) for boys and 39% (95% CI, 37­41%) for girls. The prevalence of haematuria in the uThungulu health district was 56% (95% CI, 53­59%) and 53% (95% CI, 50­56%) for girls and boys, respectively. Light-intensity infection was the most common infection level in both health districts. A negative relationship was observed between prevalence and altitude (r = −0.262, p = 0.009); whereas, we found a slight, though significant, positive association with mid-summer temperatures (r = 0.234, p = 0.021). Associations between prevalence and distance of school to the nearest river were non-significant

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

Schistosomiasis and Water-Related Practices in School Girls in Rural Kwazulu-Natal; South Africa

Abstract:There is increasing evidence of an association between female genital Schistosoma haematobium infection and HIV. In KwaZulu-Natal; we aimed to explore girls' water contact practice and to determine whether a study exclusively on girls would be manageable and welcomed. Three primary schools that had participated in a parasite control programme eight years prior were approached. Subject to consent; girls aged 9 to 12 years were interviewed on water-body contact; symptoms and household composition. Urine samples were analysed for S. haematobium infection eggs. Good dialogue was achieved in all schools and 95 consented to had an S. haematobium infection; geometric mean intensity 10.5 ova per 10 ml urine. Only 12participation; 43 had ever been treated for S. haematobium. Water-body contact was significantly associated with S. haematobium (OR 2.8; 95 CI 1.3-5.9; p= 0.008); however; S. haematobium was also found in 20 of girls who claimed to never have had water-body contact. Sixty-four percent thought they had no choice but to use unprotected water; 21 had no mother in the household; and being an orphan increased the risk of having S. haematobium. The community welcomed the study. Prevalence levels in South Africa are so high that some communities are eligible for WHO-recommended regular mass treatment

Prevalence of Schistosoma haematobium Infection in a Neglected Community, South Western Nigeria

Purpose: Schistosomiasis ranks second to malaria among parasitic diseases of socio-economic and public health importance. In Nigeria; urinary schistosomiasis caused by Schistosoma haematobium is endemic. This study aimed at producing an accurate data on the prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis in Apojula; a neglected community located around Oyan Dam; southwest Nigeria; using parasitological and molecular techniques. Methods: Parasitological examinations were carried out on urine samples from 63 participants whose ages ranged between 7 and 63 years. Matched blood and urine samples were also screened for S. hematobium infection by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the schistosome Dra1 repeat. Results: of the 63 participants; 33 (52.4) were positive for heamaturia while 6 (9.5) had S. haematobium ova in their urine. PCR amplification of S. haematobium Dra1 repeat from their urine and blood samples showed that 59 (93.65) and 62 (98.4) were infected respectively. Conclusion: There was a high prevalence of S. haematobium infection as detected by PCR amplification of schistosome Dra1 repeat from the urine and blood samples of the study participants. In addition; the PCR was able to detect schistosome infection in cases otherwise shown to be negative by parasitological examinations thereby making them also to receive chemotherapy

The Influence of Health Education on the Prevalence; Intensity and Morbidity of Schistosoma haematobium Infections in Children over a Two-Year Period in the Limpopo Province; South Africa

The influence of health education on the prevalence and intensity of Schistosoma haematobium infections; as well as on the related morbidity; was studied in schoolchildren between the ages of 4 and 14. Three groups of children were selected for this investigation. The 67 children in the experimental group received chemotherapy before health education was implemented; as well as when they got re-infected during the study. Health education was presented in mother tongue by means of a puppet show. The 99 children in one of the control groups received treatment only after the study while the 80 children in the remaining control group were treated as those in the experimental group; except that no intervention by means of education was applied. Health education; parasitological screens and snail surveys were done during the rainy; cold-dry and hot-dry seasons between 2004 and 2006. The prevalence and intensity of infection; as well as the morbidity (degree of haematuria) due to the infections; were determined after the urine samples; collected from each child; were screened. Significant differences (p0.05) were found between the initial prevalence of infection (100) and all the values recorded from survey 2 to survey 7. With regard to the intensity of infection; significant differences were found in all cases between the experimental and the treated control groups except in the heavy category (p=0.84). Statistical comparisons between the mean percentages calculated for corresponding categories of haematuria between the different groups revealed significant differences in all cases except between the experimental and treated control groups in the heavy category (3+) of haematuria

Controle de qualite lors de l'evaluation echographique de la morbidite due a Schistosoma haematobium au Niger

Lors d'un programme de lutte contre la bilharziose urinaire au Niger; il a ete procede a un controle de qualite au cours d'enquetes d'eva l u ation ech ographique de la morbidite due a Schistosoma haematobium. L'objectif etait d'evaluer la vari abilite et la r ro d u c t ibilite des donnees epidemiologiques fournies par deux observat e u rs independants specialement fo rmes. Trois types d'enquetes ont ete menes : etude de la variabilite inter- observateur sur donnees appariees; etude de la vari abilite inter- observateur au niveau communautaire sur les memes sujets ou des sujets differents; y compris apres traitement parpra z i q u a n t e l ; etude de la va ri ab ilite intra- observateur. Au total; 1416 habitants de 10 vill ages hyperendemiques; dont 70 p. 100 d'enfants scolarises; ont subi 1750 examens ech ographiques selon le protocole OMS du Caire legerement modifie. La vari abilite inter- o b s e rvateur au niveau individuel etait elevee pour certaines anomalies vesicales elementaires. Elle etait d'environ 20 p. 100 pour les deux indicat e u rs synthetiques que sont la presence d'au moins une anomalie urinaire et la dilat ation du tractus uri n a i re superi e u r. Au niveau communautaire; la vari abilite inter- observateur etait moderee et les deux observat e u rs donnaient globalement le meme diagnostic sur le niveau de morbidite lie a S chistosoma haemat o b i u m. Les vari ations de morbidite liees au niveau d'endemicite etait percues para llelement. Les memes observations au niveau individuel ou communautaire ont ete faites quant a la variabilite intra - o b s e rvateur. Au cours d'un programme de controle; les ultrasons sont senses fournir des indicateurs epidemiologiques de morbidite afin d'orienter les activites de lutte (selection des communautes a risque; periodicite des traitements). Dans cette optique; les variations d'eva l u ation de la morbidite liees a l'ech ograp h i s t e observees au Niger sont accep t ables au niveau communautaire

Association leucemie lymphoide chronique-bilharziose mixte a schistosoma mansoni et a schistosoma haemotobium a propos d'un cas collige dans le service de Medecine interne du CHU de Treichville d'Abidjan (Revue de la Litterature)

Les associations Bilharzioses et neoplasies decrites dans la litterature ne sont pas rares. Les plus connues restent l'association Bilharziose-cancer de la vessie; Bilharziose-polype colique surtout observee dans la vallee du Nilten Egypte ou encore l'association Bilharziose-hepatocarcinome.Le lien physiopathologique et immunologique de ces associations reste cependant a prouver; ce qui a ce jour semble privilegier l'hypothese d'une association fortuite.Exegese: nous rapportons dans notre travail; un cas d'association Leucemie Lymphoide Chtonique-Bilharziose mixte a Schistosoma haematobium et Schistosoma mansoni chez une patiente de 51 ans hospitalisee dans le service de medecine interne du CHU de Treichville (Abidjan).Elle a ete revelee par une splenomegalie de type 5 et une polyadenopathie cervicale et inguinale. L'evolution est en regle pejorative

"Identification des communautes cibles en zone de bilharziose urinaire par la methode de ""Lot Quality Assurance Sampling"" a Madagascar"

"Use of lot quality assurance sampling in the identification of Schistosoma haematobium endemic communities in Madagascar"": Reduction of morbidity is the main component in the National Schistosomiasis Control Program in Madagascar. The lot quality assurance sampling (LQAS) method has previously been shown as a useful tool in assessment of immunization coverage. A study was carried in the western part of Madagascar aiming to evaluate the applicability of the method in measuring the level of Schistosoma haematobium endemic level in different communities. Parasitological examination of urine samples from 1 124 children aged 5 to 19 years from 12 different schools by use of filtration technique constituted the reference in determining the prevalence. Three schools were found hyper-endemic (prevalence more than 60"

Infection Pattern of Schistoma Haematobium in Primary School Children of the Kumba Health District; South-West Cameroon

"Studies were carried out on 855 pupils of classes 3; 5 and 7 (age range 5-16 years) attending 17 primary schools in the Kumba Health District; Cameroon; to determine the infection pattern of Schistosoma haematobium in its different communities. The results reveal prevalence rates of 9.7for urinary schistosomiasis and 11.6for haemuturia. The focal area for Schistosomiasis was Barombi kotto with a prevalence rate of 75.9; a finding not significantly different from 78.2for haematuria. Low prevalence rates were recorded in the villages at the periphery of Barombi Kotto and also in the vicinity of Kumba town. Lake Barombi Kotto and ""Kumba Water"" were the main sources of infection in these areas. No significant differences in prevalence were observed between males and females or between children in the different classes surveyed. Age-specific evaluation revealed that peak infection was attained at /and 83.8respectively."

Impact des effluents d'un complexe agro-industriel sucrier sur la distribution des mollusques dulcaquicoles a Mbandjock (Cameroun)

Des prospections malacologiques ont ete entreprises dans la zone sucriere de Mbandjock (Cameroun). La discussion des mollusques est discutee suivant les types d'habitat. L'incidence des effluents du complexe agro-industriel (SOSUCAM) sur la faune malacogique est evaluee. En general; un faible degre de pollution est favorable a la faune malacologique alors qu'une forte pollution lui est nuisible. La presence de bulinus globosus est mise en evidence. Ce mollusque; hote intermediaire de schistosoma haematobium; etait absent lors des prospections anterieures. L'extension de bulinus globosus dans la localite devrait faire l'objet d'une surveillance a long terme

Prevalence of schistosoma haematobium for 35 villages in six chiefdoms in the Kanema District; Eastern Province of Sierra Leone

The study of the prevalence of schistosoma haematobium was conducted in July; 1990 in the Kenama District; Eastern Province of Sierra Leone. The crude prevalence was 32.6 per cent. The over-all prevalence was signicantly higher in females than in males but the age-specific prevalence was significantly higher in the 1-10 years cohort of males that female counterparts