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Geospatial Health 2021; volume 16:957 Use of geographic information system as a tool for schistosomiasis surveillance in an endemic Municipality in Eastern Samar, The Philippines Vicente Y. Belizario, Jr.,1,2 John Paul Caesar R. delos Trinos,2,3 Nestor Lentejas,4 Allen J. Alonte,2 Agnes N. Cuayzon,5 Marian E. Isiderio,6 Rodel Delgado,6 Marilou Tejero,7 Victorio B. Molina1 1College of Public Health, University of the Philippines Manila, Manila, Philippines; 2Neglected Tropical Diseases Study Group, National Institutes of Health, University of the Philippines Manila, Manila, Philippines; 3Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales Sydney, Sydney, Australia; 4Plan International Philippines, Makati, Philippines; 5Department of Health Centre for Health Development, Eastern Visayas, Philippines; 6Provincial Health Office, Eastern Samar, Philippines; 7Municipal Health Office, Oras, Eastern Samar, Philippines modifiable (geography and climate) determinants for schistosomi- Abstract asis. Results showed that most barangays (villages) are character- This study aimed to demonstrate the use of geographic infor- ized by favourable conditions for schistosomiasis transmission mation systems (GIS) in identifying factors contributing to schis- which include being located in flood-prone areas, presence of tosomiasis endemicity and identifying high-risk areas in a schisto- vegetation, low sanitaryonly toilet coverage, presence of snail interme- somiasis-endemic municipality in the Philippines, which was dev- diate host, high carabao (water buffalo) population density, previ- astated by Typhoon Haiyan in 2013. Data on schistosomiasis ously reported ≥1% prevalence using Kato-Katz technique, and determinants, obtained through literature review, the Philippine low MDA coverage. Similarly, barangays not known to be endem- Department of Health, and concerned local government units, ic for schistosomiasisuse but also characterized by the same were standardized and incorporated into a GIS map using ArcGIS.
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