Schistosoma Mansoni in a Rural Community of Ethiopia

Schistosoma mansoni in a rural community of Ethiopia

Arancha Amor1,2, Melaku Anegagrie1,2, Derejew Zewdie 3 , Agustín Benito2. 1Mundo Sano Foundation, Spain; 2National Center of Tropical Medicine, Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; 3Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia

Background Material/Methods: Results

The deworming agenda was initiated in 2007, There are two major forms of schistosomiasis Bahirdar is the capital of Amhara region, in From March up to June 2016, we collected stool found in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA): the uro- and the national deworming program was north-west Ethiopia, located in the south shore from 793 people. officially launched in 2015 focusing on school- genital form, caused by Schistosoma of Lake Tana, in the source of the Blue Nile. The Age range: 5 - 85 (mean 24.4, SD 16.6). haematobium, and the intestinal form, caused by aged children. area, as well as the surrounding ones, have Schistosoma mansoni. About two-thirds of the Nowadays Ethiopia has a five-year national been qualified as non endemic for School / pre-school age children (≤14): 37.1%. schistosomiasis infections are caused by S. program for controlling the morbidity of schistosomiasis (Fig. 1 and 2). S. mansoni was detected in 49 people, 6.2% of haematobium. The highest prevalence and schistosomiasis by 2020. This will involve the the sample. intensities of human schistosomiasis occur in We conducted a distribution of over 100 million treatments to school-aged children, adolescents, and young study in the rural area In the sample, the was no difference in the school-aged children and will look to expand adults. of Bahirdar for prevalence in adults and the children one: treatment to adults in priority areas. The goal is Ethiopia is the second largest country in SSA, checking the to reduce schistosomiasis to a level where it will with a population of almost 92 million people. prevalence of soil Children : 5.7% be no longer a public health problem by 2025. Adults: 6.7% Most of the country is suitable for transmission. transmitted After 3-5 years of consecutive treatments in all However, unlike in the majority of SSA countries, helminths. The endemic areas, the first impact assessment Conclusions S. mansoni is widely distributed in the country, sample collection Figure 2. Bahir Dar, north-west while S. haematobium is only restricted to small activities must be launched. Ethiopia was done during  In low prevalence areas and areas of foci in Rift valley region, in low lands below 800 the dry season. People in a rural community population migration S. mansoni could be m. were randomly selected. Stools were examined underestimated. There are an estimated 38.3 million people living in schistosomiasis endemic areas 34.4 million by formol ether concentration. More sensitive diagnostic methodology, i.e. preschool children, 12.3 million school-aged Kato Katz, combination of techniques, multi- children, and 21.6 million adults. A large-scale sampling, could provide more accurate data.

mapping has been conducted almost in all the In the area of study, during the rainy season,

country, in two phases: between December following the water flow, the prevalence of S.

2013 and April 2014, and, a second phase in mansoni could increase June 2015. A big extension of the country has Further surveys are required in areas of low been qualified as non endemic (see Fig. 1, blue endemicity for guaranteeing control programs. color) . Interestingly, previously unknown transmission Community based interventions, including foci have been reported from time to time in adults, alongside with school interventions, different parts of the country, mainly related to necessary for strengthening the deworming migration. Figure 1. Shistosomiasis endemicity distribution and programs. z mapping status of schistosomiasis , 2014. (from Ref 1)

1. Second Edition of National Neglected Tropical Diseases Master Plan 2016: Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. Ministry of Health 2. A call to strengthen the global strategy against schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis: the time is now. Lancet Infect Dis 2017 ;17(2):e64-e69