Post-treatment assessment of praziquantel efficacy among school-age children infected with schistosomiasis in Ipogun area of Ondo State, Nigeria

Abstract

Schistosomiasis, a major public health challenge is caused by trematodes of the genus Schistosoma whose intermediate host is snails. Sub-Saharan African (SSA) carried 85% of the global burden of this infection principally amongst school age children. Similarly, Nigeria bears the highest weight of this highly preventable infection in SSA. Preventive chemotherapy (PC) with 40-60 mg\kg praziquantel (PZQ) annually is the focal control strategy in endemic areas. Despite more than two decades of PZQ usage in Nigeria, the disease is still prevalent in affected communities. Thus, the study sought to assess the current post-treatment efficacy of PZQ use for urinary schistosomiasis among primary school age children of Ipogun village. Urine reagent strip (Haemastix) ® was initially used to screen pupils for haematuria, while Kato-Katz and urine filtration were employed to confirm the presence of schistosome ova in the faeces and urine of the study population pre-and post-treatment. A total of 202 children were screened, out of which 117 (57.9%) were positive for microhaematuria and 91 (45.0%) had ova of Schistosoma haematobium in their urine. The 14 and 21 day post-treatment assessment revealed 73.6% and 23.1% of the initially infected children to still be with infection respectively. Additionally, there was a statistical significant (P=0.02) in the reduction of egg count twenty-one days post-treatment. Though the efficacy of the drug as observed in the egg reduction rate in the study area can be classified as satisfactory, continuous monitoring of schistosome response should not cease if the global target of eliminating morbidity due to schistosomiasis by year 2020 is to be achieved.

Endemic status of urogenital schistosomiasis and the efficacy of a single-dose praziquantel treatment in unmapped rural farming communities in Oyo East Local Government Area, Oyo State, Nigeria

“…The relationship between sex and risk of infection is therefore equivocal and varies with the cultural background of the people [ 19 , 27 , 30 ]. The relationship may vary from one region of the country to another and from one transmission season to another, even within the same endemic communities [ 42 ]. Whatever may be the case, it is often partly explained by differences in the social and occupational roles taken up by each participant that could affect water-related contact, including frequency, duration, and level of submergence, which may be influenced by age and cultural beliefs [ 30 ].…”

“…The relationship between sex and risk of infection is therefore equivocal and varies with the cultural background of the people [19,27,30]. The relationship may vary from one region of the country to another and from one transmission season to another, even within the same endemic communities [42].…”

Coverage and predictors of the uptake of the mass drug administration of praziquantel chemotherapy for schistosomiasis in a selected urban setting in Zambia

“…Schistosomiasis is endemic in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where it mainly affects the poor and the underprivileged (3,13,14). The disease has significant economic and public health implications in developing countries where it mostly affects populations, particularly in rural and some peri urban areas.…”

Molecular epidemiology of schistosomiasis in Central River Region of The Gambia

“…Schistosomiasis is a chronic disease also well known as bilharzia or snail fever, parasitic flukes of the genus Schistosoma cause it. It remains extremely prevalent in many low-income and middle-income countries (Steinauer et al, 2008;Colley et al, 2014;Adenowo et al, 2015: Oboh et al, 2018Li et al, 2019). The estimated global prevalence showed that at least 229 million people required preventive treatment in 2018 and more than 97.2 million people were reported to have been treated (GBD, 2016;WHO, 2017WHO, , 2020.…”

“…Schistosoma intercalatum affects the GI tract but are associated with a lower morbidity. Schistosoma matheei and Schistosoma bovis are occasional parasites of human and Schistosoma incognitum may also show infective strains to humans (Corachan, 2002;Oboh et al, 2018). The species differ in their final location in the human host, the species of the intermediate host(snail), the pathology they induce, and the number, size and shape of the eggs produced (IARC, 2012).…”