Reduction of Urogenital Schistosomiasis with an Integrated Control Project in Sudan

Abstract

PurposeSchistosomiasis remains a major public health concern in Sudan, particularly Schistosoma haematobium infection. This study presents the disease-reduction outcomes of an integrated control program for schistosomiasis in Al Jabalain locality of White Nile State, Sudan from 2009 through 2011.MethodsThe total population of the project sites was 482,902, and the major target group for intervention among them was 78,615 primary school students. For the cross-sectional study of the prevalence, urine and stool specimens were examined using the urine sedimentation method and the Kato cellophane thick smear method, respectively. To assess the impacts of health education for students and a drinking water supply facility at Al Hidaib village, questionnaire survey was done.ResultsThe overall prevalence for S. haematobium and S. mansoni at baseline was 28.5% and 0.4%, respectively. At follow-up survey after 6–9 months post-treatment, the prevalence of S. haematobium infection was reduced to 13.5% (95% CI = 0.331–0.462). A higher reduction in prevalence was observed among girls, those with moderately infected status (around 20%), and residents in rural areas, than among boys, those with high prevalence (>40%), and residents in urban areas. After health education, increased awareness about schistosomiasis was checked by questionnaire survey. Also, a drinking water facility was constructed at Al Hidaib village, where infection rate was reduced more compared to that in a neighboring village within the same unit. However, we found no significant change in the prevalence of S. mansoni infection between baseline and follow-up survey (95% CI = 0.933–6.891).ConclusionsAt the end of the project, the prevalence of S. haematobium infection was reduced by more than 50% in comparison with the baseline rate. Approximately 200,000 subjects had received either praziquantel therapy, health education, or supply of clean water. To consolidate the achievements of this project, the integrated intervention should be adapted continuously.

Assessing the prevalence of urogenital schistosomaisis and transmission risk factors amongst school-aged children around Mapé dam ecological suburbs in Malantouen district, Cameroon

“…This study is consistent previous studies in addition to school absentiesm and poor performance [3, 5, 15, 21, 22, 26–28]. Our findings revealed that epidemio-ecological factors responsible for persistent transmission dynamics included the presence/contact with the dam, traditional fisherman culture, interation between animal-human contaminated Mape dam source of water driking, favourable subtropical climate, landscape of region, residence for at least one year and 2 km surrounding villages, and no access to Praziquantel or other antihelmintic agents for the last 2 months [2, 9, 15, 18, 22, 28, 29]. …”

Significance of Echogenic Snow Sign as an Ultrasonography Finding for Diagnosis of Urogenital Schistosomiasis

“…The subjects were screened and medicated with praziquantel by a control program supported by the KOICA. 8 Other studies performed in other states of Sudan reported the prevalence as 1.7% in River Nile, 23.7% in southern Kordofan, 73% in Upper Nile, and 54.2% and 71% in Gezira among the schoolchildren. 9,[13][14][15][16] The studies performed surveys on the UGS prevalence by investigating schoolchildren in the age group of 10-19 years.…”

“…8 A total of 948 participants underwent both examinations, and 198 (20.9%) were US positive and 133 (14.0%) were UM positive. The Niamey working group criteria suggested by WHO are widely accepted and used for identification of UGS-related pathologic findings.…”

“…7,8 The projects included not only preventive chemotherapy with praziquantel subjecting schoolchildren and also village residents according to the egg positive rates, but also health education for behavioral change and construction of filtered water supply system. The US was implemented not for all target villages but for a part of them.…”

“…6 In the present study, we screened schoolchildren and community people by both US and UM as one of implementation programs of schistosomiasis control in White Nile State, Sudan. 7,8 We performed US to observe the morbidity of UGS in addition to UM for screening. The WHO guidelines of the urogenital US were modified, and we also evaluated diagnostic significance of one new US finding, the echogenic snow sign, for UGS morbidity.…”