Urinary schistosomiasis among preschool-aged children in Sahelian rural communities in Mali

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Mass chemotherapy with praziquantel is the main control strategy for schistosomiasis in Mali. However, in the national control programme for schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis, infants and preschool-aged children are overlooked in preventive chemotherapy campaigns. We therefore determined the prevalence and intensity of urinary schistosomiasis in children between the ages 1-4 years in three villages across Diema health district, a rural community with endemic schistosomiasis in Mali. For <it>Schistosoma haematobium </it>diagnosis, a single urine sample of 10 ml obtained from each child was subjected to the standard urine filtration method.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of the 338 children examined 173 (51.2%) were infected. Both prevalence and intensity of infection varied significantly between communities (p < 0.01). There was no significant difference (p = 0.94) in infection rates between boys (51.2%) and girls (50.3%). Likewise, prevalence did not significantly increase with age (p = 0.86). The overall geometric mean of Williams (GMw) was 18.41 eggs/10 ml urine, with no significant association (p = 0.91) between boys (17.48 eggs/10 ml urine) and girls (19.69 eggs/10 ml urine). However, the GMw significantly increased with age (p = 0.04). Infection of preschool children would occur through early exposure to infected water bodies through both passive and active process.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our study showed that preschool children living closely to lakes across in Mali are at high risk to be infected by schistosomiasis and contributed largely to the transmission; therefore schistosomiasis control interventions should also target infants in addition to school children and adults in endemic areas.</p

Prevalence Distribution and Risk Factors for Schistosoma hematobium Infection among School Children in Blantyre, Malawi

Schistosoma hematobium infection is a parasitic infection endemic in Malawi. Schistosomiasis usually shows a focal distribution of infection and it is important to identify communities at high risk of infection and assess effectiveness of control programs. We conducted a survey in one district in Malawi to determine prevalence and factors associated with S. hematobium infection among primary school pupils. Using a questionnaire, information on history of passing bloody urine and known risk factors associated with infection was collected. Urine samples were collected and examined for S. hematobium eggs. One thousand one hundred and fifty (1,150) pupils were interviewed, and out of 1,139 pupils who submitted urine samples, 10.4% were infected. Our data showed that male gender, child's knowledge of an existing open water source (includes river, dam, springs, lake, etc.) in the area, history of urinary schistosomiasis in the past month, distance of less than 1 km from school to nearest open water source and age 8–10 years compared to those 14 years and older were independently associated with infection. These findings suggest that children attending schools in close proximity to open water sources are at increased risk of infection

Prevalence of needle-stick injuries, blood and body fluids contamination among clinical and laboratory workers in public health facilities in Nnewi north, Anambra state of Nigeria

Background: Health care workers are frequently exposed to needle-stick injuries, blood and body fluids in the performance of their duties.Aims and objectives: This study sought to determine the prevalence and pattern of occupational exposure to needle-stick injuries, blood and body fluid contamination among clinical and laboratory workers in public health facilities in Nnewi.Materials and Methods: This is a descriptive cross sectional study of randomly selected clinical and laboratory workers in public health facilities and tertiary hospital in Nnewi North using well-structured questionnaire for data collection. A total of 426 subjects were studied between May and July 2012.Results: Prevalence rates for needle-stick injuries, blood splashes and body fluid splashes were 21.8%, 16.2% and 1.4%, respectively. There was statistically significant relationship between years of experience of health workers and prevalence of needle-stick injuries (X2=18.907; df =5; p&lt;0.05) and body fluid splashes (X2= 20.641; df=5; p&lt;0.05). Injection accounted for the highest prevalence of needle-stick injuries,63 of 93 (67.1%) compared to other clinical and laboratory procedures e.g. surgery and delivery (X2= 3.068; df =5; p&lt;0.05), while delivery accounted for the highest prevalence of blood splashes, 28 of 69 (40.6%) (X2= 2.27; df=5; p&lt;0.05). In conclusion, the prevalence of needle-stick injuries, blood and body fluid was very high in the study area and was not dependent on the cadre but on the years of experience of the health workers and the clinical procedure at the time of the exposure, especially injection, surgery and delivery

A survey of breeding sites and variation of Simulium damnosum in Ini L.G.A. of Akwa Ibom, Nigeria

In the year 2001, a total of 9207 aquatic stages of Simulium damosum were collected from five group of breeding sites; (53.4%), submerged leaves 3263 (35.4%), submerged rocks 723 (7.9%), other object 210 (2.3%) and free water 95 (1.0%) in two streams. The 4556 adults captured were distinguished into 3 complexes based on morphometric methods. The Aquatic stages prevalence shows highest abundant of 1277 in October, the peak adult abundant (485) followed the aquatic stages peak by one month in November. The distinction of S. damnosum by morphometric methods provides a valuable tool in the study and control of onchocerciasis. The Nigerian Journal of Parasitology Vol. 24 2003: 149-15

Prevalence of enteropathogens and their association with diarrhea among children of food vendors in Uyo, Nigeria

A survey of enteropathogens (bacteria-parasite co-infections) was carried out among 370 children of food vendors in Uyo, Nigeria. Faecal samples (311 formed and 59 diarrhoeic stools) were screened for intestinal helminths using standard parasitological procedures. The prevalence of the parasites encountered was: Hookworm (49.5%); Ascaris lumbricoides (42.8%) Trichuris trichiura (24.9%); Strongyloides stercoralis (2.7%); Entamoeba histolytica (10.0%) and Giardia lamblia (7.8%). Bacteriological analyses of the diarrhoeic stolls revealed the following bacterial isolates: Campylobacter species, Shigella species, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, Yersinia enterocolitica, Clostridium species, Aeromonas hydrophila and Vibrio species. A strong association between the bacterial isolates and protozoan parasites (Entamoeba histolytica and Giardian lamblia) in diarrhoeic stools was evident. There was no significant (X2 = 0.44; P > 0.05) difference between infection and sex. All infections declined gradually with age but it was not statistically significant (X2 = 6.17; P > 0.001). A significant relationship existed between infection and type of school attended by the children (X2 = 19.65; P < 0.05), source of water supply (X2 = 13.59; P < 0.05) and type of toilet facility used (X2 = 68.83; P < 0.01). Since children are veritable sources of food contamination, the enforcement of hygienic practices therefore becomes imperative. Keywords: parasites, bacteria, children, food vendors, diarrhea, Nigeria Mary Slessor Journal of Medicine Vol. 5(1), 2005: 11-2

Factors affecting the transmission of human onchocerciasis by Simulium damnosum s l. in a fringe savanna village in Cross River State, Nigeria

Factors affecting the transmission of human onchocerciasis by Simulium damnosum sensu lato were the focus of a study carried out in River Lewa, Etikpe, a fringe savanna village in Ikom LGA in Cross River State, Nigeria. The duration of the study was six months (August 1999 to January 2000). The thrust of the study was on ecological parameters that affected the transmission of this human scourge. Some entomological indices/parameters that are useful criteria in planning and evaluating the progress of onchocerciasis control programme were also considered. Trained flycatches working alternate hours (0700hr.-1800hr.) caught black flies used for the study. The black flies caught were either dissected fresh in the field to determine parity (physiological age) or processed in the laboratory to determine the infection/infective rates due to Onchocerca volvulus. Out of 844 black flies collected in the 30 days catching, 425 (50.4%) flies were parous. The monthly ecological parameters (that is, water pH and temperatures, dissolved oxygen, iron content, atmospheric temperatures, rainfall, relative humidity and conductivity) measured and recorded in the study area/site had no significant differences in their values (P>0.05). These observed parameters however, had fluctuations, changes and variations in values. The findings in this study, if corroborated with those of related studies based on parasitologic, ophthalmologic and socioeconomic monitoring will be useful for planning of effective treatments with ivermectin. Keywords: transmission, human onchocerciasis, savannah, Cross River State Mary Slessor Journal of Medicine Vol. 5(2) 2005: 59-6

Rapid epidemiological mapping of onchocerciasis (REMO) in Ini and Ibiono Ibom local government areas of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

No Abstract. Nigerian Journal of Parasitology Vol. 26, 2005: 33-3