Impact of human schistosomiasis in sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

Schistosomiasis, a neglected tropical disease of poverty ranks second among the most widespread parasitic disease in various nations in sub-Saharan Africa. Neglected tropical diseases are causes of about 534,000 deaths annually in sub-Saharan Africa and an estimated 57 million disability-adjusted life-years are lost annually due to the neglected tropical diseases. The neglected tropical diseases exert great health, social and financial burden on economies of households and governments. Schistosomiasis has profound negative effects on child development, outcome of pregnancy, and agricultural productivity, thus a key reason why the "bottom 500 million" inhabitants of sub-Saharan Africa continue to live in poverty. In 2008, 17.5 million people were treated globally for schistosomiasis, 11.7 million of those treated were from sub-Saharan Africa. This enervating disease has been successfully eradicated in Japan, as well as in Tunisia. Morocco and some Caribbean Island countries have made significant progress on control and management of this disease. Brazil, China and Egypt are taking steps towards elimination of the disease, while most sub-Saharan countries are still groaning under the burden of the disease. Various factors are responsible for the continuous and persistent transmission of schistosomiasis in sub-Saharan Africa. These include climatic changes and global warming, proximity to water bodies, irrigation and dam construction as well as socio-economic factors such as occupational activities and poverty. The morbidity and mortality caused by this disease cannot be overemphasized. This review is an exposition of human schistosomiasis as it affects the inhabitants of various communities in sub-Sahara African countries. It is hoped this will bring a re-awakening towards efforts to combat this impoverishing disease in terms of vaccines development, alternative drug design, as well as new point-of-care diagnostics.

Enhancing the Capacity of Policy-Makers to Develop Evidence-Informed Policy Brief on Infectious Diseases of Poverty in Nigeria

“…15 With regards to LF, available recent reports indicate that in Africa, 34 countries are endemic, and Nigeria is believed to bear the highest burden of LF, with an estimated 80 to 120 million people at risk. [16][17][18] In a recent review article, Adenowo and colleagues 19 noted that schistosomiasis is the second most common neglected tropical disease after hookworm in SubSaharan Africa and accounts for 93% (192 million) of the world estimated 207 million cases of schistosomiasis with the highest prevalence of the infection seen in Nigeria (29 million). Adam and colleagues 20 observed that there is the growing recognition of the importance of developing concise materials and tools to communicate various types of information to policy-makers and those supporting them.…”

Intestinal schistosomiasis and the associated transmission factors in pre-school aged children in villages surrounding Lake Rweru in Bugesera District, Rwanda

“…Schistosome cercariae present water are known to lose their infectivity with time, (Adenowo et al, 2015). Interestingly, there was a significant association between infection with S. mansoni and going to the lake by the PSAC especially when the children accompany their parents/guardians or older children to the lake.…”

Universal Stress Proteins as New Targets for Environmental and Therapeutic Interventions of Schistosomiasis

“…Use of the drug is mainly restricted to Brazil and South American countries but has been replaced by praziquantel as the principal drug and main line of treatment against schistosomiasis since the mid-2000s [24,25]. Artemisinin is an antimalarial drug which when used with artesunate and artemether combined has been shown to exhibit anti-schistosomal activity against juvenile worms [22]. However, the development of drug resistance in endemic areas against the Plasmodium strain has caused a bit of concern.…”