Increasing prevalence of genitourinary schistosomiasis in Europe in the Migrant Era: Neglected no more?

Riccardi, Niccolò; Nosenzo, Francesca; Peraldo, Francesca; Sarocchi, Francesca; Taramasso, Lucia; Traverso, Paolo; Viscoli, Claudio; Biagio, Antonio Di; Derchi, Lorenzo E.; Maria, Andrea De

doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0005237

Cited by 25 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“… 17 Mass drug administration may, however, influence (if not correctly done) the prevalence of S. haematobium in migrants to low-endemic countries. 18 Moreover, emerging resistance with reduced efficacy is reported for praziquantel against human schistosomiasis in some localities. 19 , 20 Several clinical trials conducted in Senegal and Egypt show reduced effectiveness of praziquantel against schistosomes and isolated drug-resistant strains.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic Diversity of Schistosoma haematobium in Qena Governorate, Upper Egypt

El-Kady

El-Amir

Hassan

et al. 2020

IDR

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Introduction: Schistosomiasis is an important neglected tropical disease (NTD) in several developing countries. Praziquantel is the principle and efficacious chemotherapeutic agent that has been used to treat schistosomiasis for decades. Unfortunately, emerging resistance to praziquantel with accompanying reduced efficacy is reported in some localities. Hence, genetic diversity among parasite populations is of significant interest in assessing the effects of selective pressure generated by praziquantel therapy that might result in encouraging the emergence of new genotypes that are either non-susceptible or drug-resistant. The present study aimed to investigate the genetic diversity of Schistosoma haematobium among human populations using the RAPD technique to help clarify disease epidemiology and transmission. Materials and Methods: S. haematobium eggs were isolated from 50 of 134 patients from four different localities in Qena Governorate, Upper Egypt. These patients complained of terminal hematuria and burning micturition. Samples were used for molecular analysis using RAPD-PCR primers (A02, A07, A09, A10). Results: Twenty S. haematobium isolates (40%) were amplified using the selected RAPD primers. Amplification patterns of these isolates showed distinct variation in the size and number of amplified fragments, indicating high genetic variation among these isolates. Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to characterize the genetic diversity of S. haematobium in human populations in Upper Egypt. Future studies on a larger geographic scale involving many districts in Upper Egypt should be encouraged. Information from such a study would provide better insight into clonal lineages of S. haematobium in this endemic area. In turn, understanding transmission of the parasite may have a major role in establishing control strategies for urogenital schistosomiasis in Upper Egypt.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic Diversity of Schistosoma haematobium in Qena Governorate, Upper Egypt

El-Kady

El-Amir

Hassan

et al. 2020

IDR

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“…The public health importance of schistosomiasis and strongyloidiasis has increased in non-endemic regions as a result of growing global migration [1,2]. Schistosomiasis is caused by species of the trematode Schistosoma spp.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effectiveness of Screening and Treatment Approaches for Schistosomiasis and Strongyloidiasis in Newly-Arrived Migrants from Endemic Countries in the EU/EEA: A Systematic Review

Agbata

Morton

Bisoffi

et al. 2018

IJERPH

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We aimed to evaluate the evidence on screening and treatment for two parasitic infections—schistosomiasis and strongyloidiasis—among migrants from endemic countries arriving in the European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA). We conducted a systematic search of multiple databases to identify systematic reviews and meta-analyses published between 1 January 1993 and 30 May 2016 presenting evidence on diagnostic and treatment efficacy and cost-effectiveness. We conducted additional systematic search for individual studies published between 2010 and 2017. We assessed the methodological quality of reviews and studies using the AMSTAR, Newcastle–Ottawa Scale and QUADAS-II tools. Study synthesis and assessment of the certainty of the evidence was performed using GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) approach. We included 28 systematic reviews and individual studies in this review. The GRADE certainty of evidence was low for the effectiveness of screening techniques and moderate to high for treatment efficacy. Antibody-detecting serological tests are the most effective screening tests for detection of both schistosomiasis and strongyloidiasis in low-endemicity settings, because they have higher sensitivity than conventional parasitological methods. Short courses of praziquantel and ivermectin were safe and highly effective and cost-effective in treating schistosomiasis and strongyloidiasis, respectively. Economic modelling suggests presumptive single-dose treatment of strongyloidiasis with ivermectin for all migrants is likely cost-effective, but feasibility of this strategy has yet to be demonstrated in clinical studies. The evidence supports screening and treatment for schistosomiasis and strongyloidiasis in migrants from endemic countries, to reduce morbidity and mortality.

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“…While the benefits of MDA to schistosomiasis morbidity reductions are well established, it is now evident that MDA alone is unlikely to achieve elimination [21,36,37,40,41]. Many authors have discussed reasons for MDA programme failures, including treatment compliance, inadequate coverage, treatment efficacy, open defecation/urination behaviours, water contact behaviours, snail density, available infrastructure, and many more [21,36,40,42,43,44,45,46,47]. Because schistosomiasis is so deeply embedded in broader physical, social, political, and economic systems, the factors influencing intervention successes (or failures) also span these systems [40,42,45].…”

Section: The Call For Systems Epidemiology Approaches In Schistosomentioning

confidence: 99%

A Call for Systems Epidemiology to Tackle the Complexity of Schistosomiasis, Its Control, and Its Elimination

et al. 2019

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Ever since the first known written report of schistosomiasis in the mid-19th century, researchers have aimed to increase knowledge of the parasites, their hosts, and the mechanisms contributing to infection and disease. This knowledge generation has been paramount for the development of improved intervention strategies. Yet, despite a broad knowledge base of direct risk factors for schistosomiasis, there remains a paucity of information related to more complex, interconnected, and often hidden drivers of transmission that hamper intervention successes and sustainability. Such complex, multidirectional, non-linear, and synergistic interdependencies are best understood by looking at the integrated system as a whole. A research approach able to address this complexity and find previously neglected causal mechanisms for transmission, which include a wide variety of influencing factors, is needed. Systems epidemiology, as a holistic research approach, can integrate knowledge from classical epidemiology, with that of biology, ecology, social sciences, and other disciplines, and link this with informal, tacit knowledge from experts and affected populations. It can help to uncover wider-reaching but difficult-to-identify processes that directly or indirectly influence exposure, infection, transmission, and disease development, as well as how these interrelate and impact one another. Drawing on systems epidemiology to address persisting disease hotspots, failed intervention programmes, and systematically neglected population groups in mass drug administration programmes and research studies, can help overcome barriers in the progress towards schistosomiasis elimination. Generating a comprehensive view of the schistosomiasis system as a whole should thus be a priority research agenda towards the strategic goal of morbidity control and transmission elimination.

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Increasing prevalence of genitourinary schistosomiasis in Europe in the Migrant Era: Neglected no more?

Cited by 25 publications

References 18 publications

<p>Genetic Diversity of <em>Schistosoma haematobium</em> in Qena Governorate, Upper Egypt</p>

<p>Genetic Diversity of <em>Schistosoma haematobium</em> in Qena Governorate, Upper Egypt</p>

Effectiveness of Screening and Treatment Approaches for Schistosomiasis and Strongyloidiasis in Newly-Arrived Migrants from Endemic Countries in the EU/EEA: A Systematic Review

A Call for Systems Epidemiology to Tackle the Complexity of Schistosomiasis, Its Control, and Its Elimination

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