Korean J Parasitol.
2015 Oct;53(5):515-524. 10.3347/kjp.2015.53.5.515.
Prevalence of Schistosomes and Soil-Transmitted Helminths among Schoolchildren in Lake Victoria Basin, Tanzania
- Affiliations
-
- 1National Institute of Medical Research, P.O. Box 1462, Mwanza, Tanzania.
- 2Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea. cjy@snu.ac.kr
- 3Department of Parasitology and Medical Research Institute, Chungbuk National University School of Medicine, Cheongju 28644, Korea.
- 4Department of Parasitology, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Korea.
- 5Department of Environmental Medical Biology and Institute of Tropical Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea.
- 6Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Eulji University College of Medicine, Daejeon 35233, Korea.
- 7Good Neighbors International, Tanzania Western Chapter, P.O. Box 367, Mwanza, Tanzania.
- KMID: 2381773
- DOI: http://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2015.53.5.515
Abstract
- The objectives of this study was to conduct a survey on schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections in order to come up with feasible control strategies in Lake Victoria basin, Tanzania. Depending on the size of the school, 150-200 schoolchildren were recruited for the study. Duplicate Kato-Katz stool smears were prepared from each child and microscopically examined for Schistosoma mansoni and STHs. Urine specimens were examined for Schistosoma haematobium eggs using the filtration technique. After the survey, mass drug administration was done using praziquantel and albendazole for schistosomiasis and STHs infections, respectively. A total of 5,952 schoolchildren from 36 schools were recruited for the study and had their stool and urine specimens examined. Out of 5,952 schoolchildren, 898 (15.1%) were positive for S. mansoni, 754 (12.6%) for hookworms, 188 (3.2%) for Ascaris lumblicoides, and 5 (0.008%) for Trichuris trichiura. Out of 5,826 schoolchildren who provided urine samples, 519 (8.9%) were positive for S. haematobium eggs. The results revealed that intestinal schistosomiasis, urogenital schistosomiasis, and STH infections are highly prevalent throughought the lake basin. The high prevalence of intestinal and urogenital schistosomisiasis in the study area was a function of the distance from Lake Victoria, the former being more prevalent at localities close to the lake, whilst the latter is more so away from it. Control of schistosomiasis and STHs in the study area requires an integrated strategy that involves provision of health education to communities, regular treatments, and provision of adequate safe water supply and sanitation facilities.
Keyword
MeSH Terms
-
Adolescent
Albendazole/therapeutic use
Animals
Anthelmintics/therapeutic use
Child
Feces/parasitology
Female
Helminthiasis/drug therapy/*epidemiology/parasitology
Helminths/*classification/*isolation & purification
Humans
Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic/drug therapy/*epidemiology/parasitology
Male
Praziquantel/therapeutic use
Prevalence
Schistosomiasis/drug therapy/*epidemiology/parasitology
Schools
Students
Tanzania/epidemiology
Urine/parasitology
Albendazole
Anthelmintics
Praziquantel
- Full Text Links
-
- Actions
-
Cited
- CITED
-
- Close
- Share
-
- Similar articles
-
- Prevalence of Schistosomes and Soil-Transmitted Helminths and Morbidity Associated with Schistosomiasis among Adult Population in Lake Victoria Basin, Tanzania
- High Malaria Prevalence among Schoolchildren on Kome Island, Tanzania
- Prevalence of Soil-Transmitted Helminths and Molecular Clarification of Hookworm Species in Ethnic Ede Primary Schoolchildren in Dak Lak Province, Southern Vietnam
- Integrated Schistosomiasis and Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis Control over Five Years on Kome Island, Tanzania
- Schistosoma mansoni-Related Hepatosplenic Morbidity in Adult Population on Kome Island, Sengerema District, Tanzania
