Domestic water supplies and community self-help in Sidi-Ghazzi area, Nile area: a strategy for schistosomiasis control

ABSTRACT

An attempt was made at assessing the incidence of schistosomiasis and the acceptability of domestic water in Sidi-Ghazy. Urine and stool samples were collected from individuals of three villages [with different water sources] that had been proved free the previous year and examined. Also samples of water were collected from different tap and well water sources available in the area and analyzed for the physical features, including pH, color, odor, turbidity, hardness, chlorides, taste and conductivity. Results showed that the overall incidence of schistosomiasis mansoni was higher than hematobium in the three studied villages with little difference between them. Meanwhile differences appeared between the villages in rates by age and sex indicating the role of domestic water interaction. Domestic water was proved to be insufficiently available in half the followed up taps. At the same time water available in the rest proved only partially Acceptable, while water was quite unacceptable. It is concluded that this could be the reason for the community's in difference towards tap and well water use, and therefore improvement of the domestic water availability and acceptability would probably affect the rates of schistosomiasis