Current Status of Schistosoma mansoni Infections and Associated Risk Factors among Students in Gorgora Town, Northwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Background and Objective. Schistosomiasis is highly prevalent in tropics and causes morbidity and mortality in developing countries including Ethiopia. is study is aimed to assess the current status of S. mansoni infections and associated risk factors among students in Gorgora town, Northwest Ethiopia. Method. A cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2010 to November 2010 at Gorgora, Northwest Ethiopia. All students (579) present during the study period were enrolled. Pretested questionnaires were used to collect sociodemographic data and predisposing factors. Stool examination was performed using wet mount and KatoKatz techniques. Data were entered and analysed using SPSS version 20.0 statistical soware. Result. Among 579 students enrolled, 291 (50.3%) were positive for one or more intestinal parasites. Prevalence of S. mansoni was found to be 20.6% with mean intensity of infection (125 eggs per gram of feces). Lack of awareness and water contact habits such as frequent swimming in the open water source, agricultural activities on bare foot, and washing clothes were also associated with high risk of S. mansoni infection. Conclusion. Even though there seems to be a decline in the prevalence of S. mansoni infections in the study area, the problem still persists and affects students signi�cantly. erefore, therapeutic intervention and health education are needed. BackgroundSchistosomiasis is a parasitic disease that leads to chronic infection. e disease is prevalent in 75 countries of the world [1]. Globally 500-600 million people are at risk of infection and 200 million peoples are infected with schistosomiasis; 85% of the cases are found in 41 countries of Africa [2]. In Ethiopia and Eritrea the population living under the risk of infection with Schistosoma mansoni (S. mansoni) was estimated to be 19 million [3].Human infection is initiated during water exposure (planting, �shing, washing, and swimming) that contains the free-living infective stage of the parasite, cercaria. Different strategies have been used to prevent this debilitating disease. e primary health care approach has been used by a number of countries in Africa and other endemic regions of the world. It was based on the fact that development of irrigation schemes, dam construction for hydroelectric power, water conservation for different purposes, human behaviours such as swimming habits and improper waste disposal, poverty like use of river water for different purposes, and wide distribution of intermediate host were identi�ed as the ma�or contributing factors for the increased prevalence and wide distribution of schistosomiasis [4].Patients infected with S. mansoni develop granuloma around the egg and the Schistosoma antigens in the intestine and liver. e granuloma is followed by �brosis, and chronic in�ammation in the liver, leading to portal hypertension, causing liver disease, ascites, and oesophagogastric haemorrhage [5]. Renal failures due to antigen antibody complex and exposure to secondary bacterial or viral infection were...

Schistosoma mansoni Infection Prevalence and Associated Determinant Factors among School Children in Mana District, Jimma Zone, Oromia Region, South West Ethiopia

“…Based on this, bathing habits, washing clothes in open water sources and crossing rivers on bare foots were independent predictors for S. mansoni infection which is similar with finding reported from Gorgora town from North Gonder [16] Saja town Northwest Ethiopia [7] …”

“…The prevalence rate in the present study is higher than those reported 15.9% from Northern Gonder [12], 1.3% from community school of University of Gonder [18], 0.8 from Amibera District [19], 20.6% from among schooled children of Gorgora [16], 23.9% from Surbs of Mekelle city [9], 20.2% from Raya Alamata District, Northern Ethiopia [29,30], 5.95% among school children of different source users in Tigray [20], 21.2% from Southern Langano [14] , 2.1% from Jimma Zone districts surrounding Gelgel Gibe area [23] , 24% from Jimma Zone Manna District [22]. 14.4% from Brazil [31], 4.6% from Jos Nigeria [32], 12.6% from Agaie Niger state Nigeria [33], and 19.8% from Ghana [34].…”

“…School-age children who live in areas with poor sanitation are often most at risk of infection because they tend to spend time swimming or bathing in water containing infectious cercariae and in Ethiopia there were finding reported, lack of awareness water contacts habits such as swimming habit in open water sources, frequency of water contact and history of treatment, agricultural activities on bare foot and washing clothes in open water sources were associated factors for S. mansoni infection [2,16,25] The main determinants for the distribution, transmission, and spreading of both Schistosoma species (S. mansoni and S. haematobium) in Ethiopia include water temperature, absence or presence of snail intermediate host, population movement and water impoundment for irrigation and power [26].…”

“…Previous studies showed that the prevalence of S. mansoni among school children was 89.9% in Saja town [7], 85% in Zarim, 67% Gorgora [8], 23.9% of Surbs city of Mekelle [9], 81.3% from Wolita [10], 74.9% from Wondo Genet [11], 33.7% and 15.9% from Northern Gonder [12,13], 21.2% from Southern of Lake Lagano [14], 73.9% from Southern Tigray [15], 20.6% Gorgora Town [16], 37.9% from Gonder [17], 1.3% from University Gonder Community School [18] , 0.8% from Amibera district [19], 5.95% among school children of different water source users in Tigray [20] , 67.6% in Finchaa valley [21], 2.1 and 24% from Jimma [22,23]. Hygiene and play habits make children especially vulnerable to infection [3].…”

Factors affecting illness in the developing world: chronic disease, mental health and traditional medicine cures

“…Despite the promising advances in control, over 5 million Ethiopians are infected with schistosomiasis and 37.5 million more are at risk 15. Prevalence among elementary school children in Gorgora on the shores of lake Tana is 20.6% and higher at other locations throughout the country 16. The cause of this prevalence is linked to lack of research about the disease mapping and transmission, public health education, infrastructure and sanitation 15 16.…”