Background Schistosoma (S.) haematobium infection is a common cause of genital morbidity in adult women. Ova in the genital mucosal lining may cause lesions, bleeding, pain, discharge, and the damaged surfaces may pose a risk for HIV. In a heterogeneous schistosomiasis endemic area in South Africa, we sought to investigate if young girls had genital symptoms and if this was associated with urinary S. haematobium.MethodologyIn a cross-sectional study of 18 randomly chosen primary schools, we included 1057 schoolgirls between the age of 10 and 12 years. We interviewed assenting girls, whose parents had consented to their participation and examined three urines from each of them for schistosome ova.Principal findingsOne third of the girls reported to have a history of genital symptoms. Prior schistosomal infection was reported by 22% (226/1020), this was associated with current genital symptoms (p<0.001). In regression analysis the genital symptoms were significantly associated both with urinary schistosomiasis (p<0.001) and water contact (p<0.001).ConclusionsEven before sexually active age, a relatively large proportion of the participating girls had similar genital symptoms to those reported for adult genital schistosomiasis previously. Anti-schistosomal treatment should be considered at a young age in order to prevent chronic genital damage and secondary infections such as HIV, sexually transmitted diseases and other super-infections.

The nucleotide sequence of 1.5 Mb of genomic DNA from Mycobacterium leprae was determined using computer-assisted multiplex sequencing technology. This brings the 2.8-Mb M. leprae genome sequence to ∼66% completion. The sequences, derived from 43 recombinant cosmids, contain 1046 putative protein-coding genes, 44 repetitive regions, 3 rRNAs, and 15 tRNAs. The gene density of one per 1.4 kb is slightly lower than that of Mycoplasma (1.2 kb). Of the protein coding genes, 44% have significant matches to genes with well-defined functions. Comparison of 1157 M. leprae and 1564 Mycobacterium tuberculosis proteins shows a complex mosaic of homologous genomic blocks with up to 22 adjacent proteins in conserved map order. Matches to known enzymatic, antigenic, membrane, cell wall, cell division, multidrug resistance, and virulence proteins suggest therapeutic and vaccine targets. Unusual features of the M. leprae genome include large polyketide synthase (pks) operons, inteins, and highly fragmented pseudogenes.[The sequence data described in this paper have been submitted to GenBank under accession nos. L78811-L78829, U00010-U00023, U15180-U15184, U15186, U15187, L01095, L01536, L04666, and L01263. On-line supplementary information for Table 1 is available at http://www.cshl.org/gr.]Despite improved medical care and large vaccination programs, infectious organisms are still the leading cause of death, worldwide, and the pathogenic mycobacteria are among the worst offenders. There are estimated to be ∼5 million cases of leprosy, globally, while tuberculosis kills ∼3 million persons per year. The frequent occurrence of multidrug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis and the documented appearance of dapsone resistant Mycobacterium leprae are reminders that current therapies may not always be effective and that we should continue to search for and develop new antiinfective agents.M. leprae is one of the few bacterial pathogens that infects humans and cannot be cultivated outside of animals. The organism is an intracellular parasite that grows extremely slowly (generation

This article presents three studies of religious beliefs and practices among young Norwegian Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus related to the presentation of these religions in religious education textbooks. Drawing on analyses of textbook presentations and group interviews with young informants from the three religions, the studies show that there are similarities as well as divergences between the textbook presentations and the descriptions given by the informants. By showing how textbooks may emphasize aspects of religions that the informants find marginal or exotic, this article adds to the understanding of the complex challenges posed to religious education by an increasingly multicultural context.