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

Transmission naturelle de la bilharziose a Bongouanou: biotope et infestation des molusques hotes intermediaires

Le lac Kabi et les autres retenues d'eau de Bongouanou regorgent diverses especes des mollusques hotes intermediaires de differents trematodes. Nous avons rencontre six especes differentes de mollusques lors de la prospection malacologique : - Biompha!aria pfeifferi (Krauss; 1848); - Bulinus forskalii (Ehrenberg; 1831); - Bulinus globosus (Morelet; 1866); - Lymnaea natalensis (Krauss; 1848); - Physa marmorata (Guilding; 1822); - Potadoma vogelii (Binder; 1955). Bulinus globusus heberge des schistosomes qui correspondent naturellement a S. haematobium; ce qui suppose l'existence certaine d'un foyer naturel de bilharziose urinaire dans le lac de Kabi. Ce lac constitue aussi; un gite potentiel de transmission naturelle de S. mansoni malgre l'absence de schistosomes dans B. pfeiffei dans notre echantillon. Des cercaires de douves ont ete isolees dans la plupart des mollusques recoltes sauf Physa marmorata qui n'heberge aucune cercaire

Human behaviour and schistosomiasis

This paper critically examines the relationship between human behavior and schistosomiasis transmission and control. It argues that human behavior must be studied not only at the individual but also at the family; community and national levels; and that socioeconomic; cultural; political and environmental factors must be considered in health education programs. The qualitative model developed by Dunn is modified and examples from Ethiopia and other African countries are used to indicate the great variety of human behaviours relevant to schistosomiasis transmission; spread and control

Determinants de la transmission de la bilharziose en zones amenagees dans les monts Mandara (Cameroun) : facteurs botaniques et malacologiques

Une etude de la transmission de la bilharziose a ete entreprise dans l'Extreme Nord du Cameroun. Les barrages de Ouro tada; de Douvar-Oudahay et de Ouazan ont ete etudies. Les facteurs malacologiques et botaniques ont ete evalues. Une polarisation des activites en fonction de la pente des berges de la retenue a ete observee. Les zones de faible pente sont les plus utilisees et correspondent aux sites privilegies par les plantes supportant les colonies de mollusques hotes intermediaires de schistosomiase. D'autres aspects de l'interaction homme-plantes aquatiques sont discutes

Schistosomiasis control measures for small irrigation schemes in Zimbabwe

A pilot study was initiated in 1984 on the 600 ha Mushandike Irrigation Project near Masvingo; Zimbabwe; with the objective of developing and field-testing practical guidelines to reduce the risk of schistosomiasis transmission foruse by those involved in planning designing; constructing and operating small-holder irrigation projects in Zimbabwe. Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease which is particularly prevalent on irrigated land because of high levels of human contact with water and because colonisation by the aquatic snails; which actas its intermediate hosts; is generally favoured by the aquatic environments created within irrigation and drainage systems. A number of important phases of the project are complete. These include formulating citeria for schistosomiasis control; implementing these criteria within the design and construction precesses; establishing regular monitoring of the human and snail populations and introducing micro-computer assisted irringation scheduling to reduce the likelihood of snailcolonisation in parts of the system. [abstract terminated]