BackgroundThe Kato-Katz technique is widely used for the diagnosis of Schistosoma mansoni, but shows low sensitivity in light-intensity infections. We assessed the accuracy of a commercially available point-of-care circulating cathodic antigen (POC-CCA) cassette test for the diagnosis of S. mansoni in preschool-aged children before and after praziquantel administration.MethodologyA 3-week longitudinal survey with a treatment intervention was conducted in Azaguié, south Côte d'Ivoire. Overall, 242 preschoolers (age range: 2 months to 5.5 years) submitted two stool and two urine samples before praziquantel administration, and 86 individuals were followed-up posttreatment. Stool samples were examined with duplicate Kato-Katz thick smears for S. mansoni. Urine samples were subjected to POC-CCA cassette test for S. mansoni, and a filtration method for S. haematobium diagnosis.Principal FindingsBefore treatment, the prevalence of S. mansoni, as determined by quadruplicate Kato-Katz, single CCA considering ‘trace’ as negative (t−), and single CCA with ‘trace’ as positive (t+), was 23.1%, 34.3% and 64.5%, respectively. Using the combined results (i.e., four Kato-Katz and duplicate CCA(t−)) as diagnostic ‘gold’ standard, the sensitivity of a single Kato-Katz, a single CCA(t−) or CCA(t+) was 28.3%, 69.7% and 89.1%, respectively. Three weeks posttreatment, the sensitivity of a single Kato-Katz, single CCA(t−) and CCA(t+) was 4.0%, 80.0% and 84.0%, respectively. The intensity of the POC-CCA test band reaction was correlated with S. mansoni egg burden (odds ratio = 1.2, p = 0.04).Conclusions/SignificanceA single POC-CCA cassette test appears to be more sensitive than multiple Kato-Katz thick smears for the diagnosis of S. mansoni in preschool-aged children before and after praziquantel administration. The POC-CCA cassette test can be recommended for the rapid identification of S. mansoni infections before treatment. Additional studies are warranted to determine the usefulness of POC-CCA for assessing drug efficacy and monitoring the impact of control interventions.
Abstract. Schistosomiasis control efforts mainly target school-aged children. We studied the epidemiology of schistosomiasis in two high-risk communities in south Cô te d'Ivoire, placing particular emphasis on pre-school-aged children. We used a suite of diagnostic techniques, including Kato-Katz, urine filtration, reagent strips, and urine circulating cathodic antigen cassettes. Risk factors for schistosomiasis were determined by focus group discussions and a structured questionnaire. The prevalence of Schistosoma mansoni in the two study villages among the pre-school-aged children (age 6 years) was 20.9% and 25.0%, whereas several-fold higher prevalences were found in school-aged children (58.7-68.4%) and adolescents/adults (59.5-61.7%). The prevalence of S. haematobium in the three age groups was 5.9-17.3%, 10.9-18.4%, and 3.8-21.3%, respectively. Most participants had light-intensity infections. Mothers' occupations and older siblings play important roles in the epidemiology of schistosomiasis in pre-schoolers. In the current epidemiologic settings, more attention is warranted on pre-school-aged children and adolescents/adults for successful schistosomiasis control.
BackgroundDespite decades of experience with praziquantel treatment in school-aged children (SAC) and adults, we still face considerable knowledge gaps relevant to the successful treatment of preschool-aged children (PSAC). This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of escalating praziquantel dosages in PSAC infected with Schistosoma haematobium.MethodsWe conducted a randomised, dose-finding trial in PSAC (2–5 years) and as comparator a cohort of SAC (6–15 years) infected with S. haematobium in Côte d’Ivoire. A total of 186 PSAC and 195 SAC were randomly assigned to 20, 40 or 60 mg/kg praziquantel or placebo. The nature of the dose-response relationship in terms of cure rate (CR) was the primary objective. Egg reduction rate (ERR) and tolerability were secondary outcomes. CRs and ERRs were assessed using triplicate urine filtration over 3 consecutive days. Available-case analysis was performed including all participants with primary endpoint data.ResultsA total of 170 PSAC and 174 SAC received treatment. Almost 90% of PSAC and three quarters of SAC were lightly infected with S. haematobium. Follow-up data were available for 157 PSAC and 166 SAC. In PSAC, CRs of praziquantel were 85.7% (30/35), 78.0% (32/41) and 68.3% (28/41) at 20, 40 and 60 mg/kg and 47.5% (19/40) for placebo. In SAC, CRs were 10.8% for placebo (4/37), 55.6% for 20 mg/kg (25/45), 68.3% for 40 mg/kg (28/41) and 60.5% for 60 mg/kg (26/43). ERRs based on geometric means ranged between 96.5% (60 mg/kg) and 98.3% (20 mg/kg) in PSAC and between 97.6% (20 mg/kg and 60 mg/kg) and 98.6% (40 mg/kg) in SAC. Adverse events were mild and transient.ConclusionsPraziquantel revealed dose-independent efficacy against light infections of S. haematobium. Over the dose range tested, praziquantel displayed a ceiling effect with the highest response for 20 mg/kg in PSAC. In SAC maximum efficacy was obtained with 40 mg/kg praziquantel. Further investigations are required in children with moderate to heavy infections.Trial registrationThis trial is registered with International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number ISRCTN15280205.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s12916-018-1066-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
BackgroundPreventive chemotherapy with praziquantel (PZQ) is the cornerstone of schistosomiasis control. However, a single dose of PZQ (40 mg/kg) does not cure all infections. Repeated doses of PZQ at short intervals might increase efficacy in terms of cure rate (CR) and intensity reduction rate (IRR). Here, we determined the efficacy of a single versus four repeated treatments with PZQ on Schistosoma mansoni infection in school-aged children from Cô te d'Ivoire, using two different diagnostic tests. MethodsAn open-label, randomized controlled trial was conducted from October 2018 to January 2019. School-aged children with a confirmed S. mansoni infection based on Kato-Katz (KK) and point-of-care circulating cathodic antigen (POC-CCA) urine cassette test were randomly assigned to receive either a single or four repeated doses of PZQ, administered at PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
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