Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College Health Sciences, Mettu University, Mettu, Ethiopia.
Aklilu Lemma Institute of Pathobiology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Sci Rep. 2022 Oct 12;12(1):17063. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-21641-2.
Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease that disproportionately affects the poorest people in tropical and subtropical countries. It is a major parasitic disease causing considerable morbidity in Ethiopia. Despite significant control efforts, schistosomiasis transmission is still widespread in many rural areas of the country. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and intensity of intestinal schistosomiasis among schoolchildren, as well as to identify schistosomiasis transmission sites in Gomma District, southwestern Ethiopia. Between October 2018 and September 2019, cross-sectional parasitological and malacological surveys were conducted in the study area. The study comprised 492 school-children aged 6 to 15 years old from four primary schools in Gomma District. To identify and quantify eggs of Schistosoma mansoni from the children, stool specimens were collected and processed using double Kato-Katz thick smears. Water bodies adjacent to human settlements in the study area were surveyed for snail intermediate hosts of S. mansoni. Morphological identification of collected snails was conducted, followed by examining their infection status using a dissecting microscope. The overall prevalence of S. mansoni infection was 73.8% (95%CI: 69.9-77.7%) and 41.6% of them had moderate-to-heavy infections. The prevalence of S. mansoni infection differed considerably by age group, with the older age groups (12-15) having a higher prevalence than the younger age groups (6-11) (p < 0.001). The prevalence of infection also varied significantly among schools; Dedo Ureche had the highest prevalence (86.9%) (p = 0.034), while Goga Kilole had relatively the lowest prevalence of S. mansoni infection (59.6%) (p = 0.003). A total of 1463 Biomphalaria pfeifferi snails were collected from 11 survey sites throughout the study area, with 357 (24.4%) of the snails shedding schistosomes cercariae. Despite intensified efforts to scale up mass drug administration in Ethiopia, this study reported high levels of S. mansoni infection among schoolchildren and snail intermediate hosts in rural communities in Gomma. Such a high infection rate warrants pressing needs for targeted and integrated interventions to control the disease in the area.
血吸虫病是一种被忽视的热带病，不成比例地影响着热带和亚热带国家的最贫困人口。它是一种主要的寄生虫病，在埃塞俄比亚造成了相当大的发病率。尽管采取了重大的控制措施，但在该国许多农村地区，血吸虫病的传播仍然很广泛。本研究旨在确定西南部戈马地区学龄儿童的肠道血吸虫病流行率和感染强度，并确定血吸虫病的传播地点。2018 年 10 月至 2019 年 9 月，在研究地区进行了横断面寄生虫学和软体动物学调查。该研究包括来自戈马区四所小学的 492 名 6 至 15 岁的学龄儿童。为了从儿童中鉴定和量化曼氏血吸虫卵，收集粪便标本并使用双加藤氏厚涂片进行处理。对研究区靠近人类住区的水体进行了中间宿主曼氏血吸虫的蜗牛调查。对收集的蜗牛进行形态学鉴定，然后使用解剖显微镜检查其感染状态。曼氏血吸虫感染的总流行率为 73.8%（95%CI：69.9-77.7%），其中 41.6%为中度至重度感染。曼氏血吸虫感染的流行率因年龄组而异，年龄较大的（12-15 岁）比年龄较小的（6-11 岁）组更高（p<0.001）。感染的流行率在学校之间也有显著差异；Dedo Ureche 的流行率最高（86.9%）（p=0.034），而 Goga Kilole 的曼氏血吸虫感染率相对较低（59.6%）（p=0.003）。从研究区的 11 个调查点共收集到 1463 只玻氏血吸虫蜗牛，其中 357 只（24.4%）蜗牛排出了血吸虫尾蚴。尽管埃塞俄比亚加大了扩大大规模药物治疗的力度，但本研究报告称，戈马农村社区的学龄儿童和蜗牛中间宿主中曼氏血吸虫感染率很高。如此高的感染率迫切需要有针对性和综合的干预措施来控制该地区的疾病。
