scholarly journals Ethiopia Schistosomiasis and Soil-Transmitted Helminthes Control Programme: Progress and Prospects

Schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthes are among seventeen WHO prioritized neglected tropical diseases that infect humans. These parasitic infections can be treated using single-dose and safe drugs. Ethiopia successfully mapped the distribution of these infections nation wide. According to the mapping there are an estimated 37.3 million people living in schistosomiasis endemic areas, and 79 million in schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthes endemic areas. The Federal Ministry of Health successfully scaled up Schistosomiasis and schistosomiasis and soiltransmitted helminthes intervention in endemic areas and treated over 19 million individuals in 2015. The Ministry of Health has made a huge effort to establish neglected tropical diseases, including schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthes program in the health system which helped to map majority of the wored as and initiate nation wide intervention. The National control programme is designed to achieve elimination for those diseases as a major public health problem by 2020 and aim to attain transmission break by 2025. The programme focuses on reaching those school-aged children who are not attending school, integration between neglected tropical diseases programme, and further collaboration with the WASH actors.

Diagnostics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 521
Author(s):  
Juan García-Bernalt Diego ◽  
Pedro Fernández-Soto ◽  
Antonio Muro

Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), particularly those caused by parasites, remain a major Public Health problem in tropical and subtropical regions, with 10% of the world population being infected. Their management and control have been traditionally hampered, among other factors, by the difficulty to deploy rapid, specific, and affordable diagnostic tools in low resource settings. This is especially true for complex PCR-based methods. Isothermal nucleic acid amplification techniques, particularly loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), appeared in the early 21st century as an alternative to PCR, allowing for a much more affordable molecular diagnostic. Here, we present the status of LAMP assays development in parasite-caused NTDs. We address the progress made in different research applications of the technique: xenomonitoring, epidemiological studies, work in animal models and clinical application both for diagnosis and evaluation of treatment success. Finally, we try to shed a light on the improvements needed to achieve a true point-of-care test and the future perspectives in this field.


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter J. Hotez

Abstract Before the founding of the People’s Republic of China 70 years ago, both extreme poverty and parasitic infections and other neglected tropical diseases were highly prevalent. Owing to social development, particularly economic reforms since the 1980s, poverty has since been dramatically reduced, and China became increasingly urbanized and industrialized. In parallel, China’s economic transformation translated into similar and remarkable reductions in neglected tropical diseases. Qian and colleagues report in their review published in Infectious Diseases of Poverty, the elimination or near elimination as a public health problem of lymphatic filariasis, trachoma, soil-transmitted helminth infections, schistosomiasis and other neglected tropical diseases. Of note, neglected tropical disease control and poverty reduction each appear to reinforce the other. China’s formula for success in parasitic and neglected tropical disease control might translate to other parts of the world, such as in sub-Saharan Africa through China’s new Belt and Road Initiative.


Parasitology ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 136 (13) ◽  
pp. 1739-1745 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. A. TCHUEM TCHUENTÉ ◽  
E. K. N'GORAN

SUMMARYSchistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis occur throughout the developing world and remain a major public health problem in the poorest communities with enormous consequences for development. The extent of the problem has long been neglected because these diseases rarely kill at a young age and also because of their insidious nature. Today there exists a momentum and an unprecedented opportunity for a cost-effective control of these neglected tropical diseases. The control of these diseases has become a priority on the agenda of many governments, donors and international agencies. This paper highlights the progress made and future control activities in Cameroon and Côte d'Ivoire, where schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis control measures have been implemented over the past decade with limited budgets. In Cameroon, deworming activities were increased to encompass all ten regions in 2007 as a result of a co-ordinated effort of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education with national and international partners. In Côte d'Ivoire, focal control activities were achieved with support from various partners. Prospects, opportunities and challenges for the control of neglected tropical diseases in these two countries are discussed.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Caitlin Sheehy ◽  
Heather Lawson ◽  
Emmanuel H. Andriamasy ◽  
Hannah J. Russell ◽  
Alice Reid ◽  
...  

AbstractSchool-aged children (SAC) have a considerable burden of intestinal schistosomiasis in Madagascar yet its burden in pre-school aged children (PSAC) is currently overlooked. To assess the at-risk status of PSAC, we undertook a pilot epidemiological survey in June 2019 examining children (n = 89), aged 2–4-years of balanced gender, in six remote villages in Marolambo District, Madagascar. Diagnosis included use of urine-circulating cathodic antigen (CCA) dipsticks and coproscopy of stool with duplicate Kato-Katz (K-K) thick smears. Prevalence of intestinal schistosomiasis by urine-CCA was 67.4% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 56.5–77.2%) and 35.0% (95% CI: 24.7–46.5%) by K-K. The relationship between faecal eggs per gram (epg) and urine-CCA G-scores (G1 to G10) was assessed by linear regression modelling, finding for every increment in G-score, epg increased by 20.4 (6.50–34.4, P = 0.006). Observed proportions of faecal epg intensities were light (78.6%), moderate (17.9%) and heavy (3.6%). Soil-transmitted helminthiasis was noted, prevalence of ascariasis was 18.8% and trichuriasis was 33.8% (hookworm was not reported). Co-infection of intestinal schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis occurred in 36.3% of PSAC. These results provide solid evidence highlighting the overlooked burden of intestinal schistosomiasis in PSAC, and they also offer technical  guidance for better surveillance data for the Madagascan national control programme.


2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elias Nyandwi ◽  
Tom Veldkamp ◽  
Frank Badu Osei ◽  
Sherif Amer

Schistosomiasis is recognised as a major public health problem in Rwanda. We aimed to identify the spatio-temporal dynamics of its distribution at a fine-scale spatial resolution and to explore the impact of control programme interventions. Incidence data of Schistosoma mansoni infection at 367 health facilities were obtained for the period 2001-2012. Disease cluster analyses were conducted using spatial scan statistics and geographic information systems. The impact of control interventions was assessed for three distinct sub-periods. Findings demonstrated persisting, emerging and re-emerging clusters of schistosomiasis infection across space and time. The control programme initially caused an abrupt increase in incidence rates during its implementation phase. However, this was followed by declining and disappearing clusters when the programme was fully in place. The findings presented should contribute to a better understanding of the dynamics of schistosomiasis distribution to be used when implementing future control activities, including prevention and elimination efforts.


Author(s):  
Praveena Ganapa ◽  
Kishore Y. Jothula ◽  
Vishweswara Rao Guthi ◽  
P. Abhishek ◽  
V. Jyothi ◽  
...  

Background: Lymphatic filariasis has been a major public health problem in India. Government of India during 2004 initiated Mass Drug Administration (MDA) with annual single dose of DEC tablets to all the population living at the risk of filariasis. Nalgonda is endemic district where MDA programme is undertaken every year to eliminate lymphatic filariasis. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the coverage and compliance rates of the MDA programme conducted during January 2018.Methods: The guidelines of National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) were used to select a total of 129 households from four clusters (three rural and one urban). Each household was visited by a team and data was recorded on pre-structured questionnaire available in operational guidelines manual of NVBDCP. Data analyzed by SPSS version 22.Results: Total of 129 households were included in the study, Among the 523 study population, only 494 were eligible population to receive MDA. Current study shows that coverage rate was 79.84% and compliance rate was 84.6%. Fear of side effects was most common reason for noncompliance.Conclusions: Efforts should be made to improve coverage rates by involving more human resources, supervision and incentives. Though compliance rates were higher than required there is need to maintain these rates by IEC activities and community participation. 


2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Kassaye Tekie Desta ◽  
T. E. Masango ◽  
Zerish Zethu Nkosi

Background. Tuberculosis (TB) is a major public health problem in Liberia. Little is known about the TB laboratory performance of Liberia and the challenges after the 14 years of civil war which ended in 2003. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the TB laboratory performance of Liberia. Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted from 2014 to 2015. The study was conducted using quantitative data of TB case findings, sputum microscopy proficiency testing, and on-site assessment of sputum microscopy laboratories in Liberia. 80 laboratories participated in the proficiency testing. Besides, four years’ (2012–2015) TB case finding data obtained from the National Leprosy and Tuberculosis Control Programme (NLTCP) were used to complement the study. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Results. From the 80 TB sputum microscopy testing laboratories participating in proficiency testing, only 20 (25%) scored acceptable performance. 46 (58%) TB microscopy laboratories reported quantification errors for the proficiency panel slide 6 which was 3+. The national TB smear-positive cases notified were 4342 in 2012 but decreased to 3820 and 2448 in 2013 and 2014, respectively. The TB smear case detection rate showed an increase from 68% in 2010 to 78% in 2011 and a decrease to 60%, 57%, and 42% in 2012, 2013, and 2014, respectively. Conclusion. Between 2010 and 2013, the NLTCP succeeded in increasing the number of TB sputum microscopy laboratories. At most of the TB microscopy sites, the TB laboratory quality system was not implemented. The NLTCP of Liberia should develop strategies to overcome its challenges in TB laboratory testing.


2020 ◽  
pp. bjophthalmol-2020-315815
Author(s):  
Catherine E Oldenburg ◽  
Solomon Aragie ◽  
Abdou Amza ◽  
Anthony W Solomon ◽  
Jessica Brogdon ◽  
...  

Background/AimsAlthough tremendous progress towards the 2020 goal of global elimination of trachoma as a public health problem has been made, it will not be achieved. Future targets are now being considered. One option is changing the goal to eradication. We surveyed trachoma experts to assess beliefs related to trachoma eradication and determine perceived obstacles to achieving it.MethodsWe conducted a survey at the beginning of a trachoma eradication session at the 2019 Coalition for Operational Research on Neglected Tropical Diseases meeting in National Harbor, Maryland, USA. We asked respondents what the most important goal of azithromycin mass drug administration was for trachoma (control, elimination of infection or eradication) and if and when they believed trachoma eradication would occur. We then asked what the biggest obstacles were to global eradication.ResultsFifty-six surveys were returned (95%). Most (91%) participants reported that the most important goal of azithromycin mass drug administration was control or elimination of infection, and 24% of participants reported that global eradication was not possible. Of the 76% who reported a year by which they believed trachoma could be eradicated, most fell between 2040 and 2050. Commonly cited barriers to global eradication included lack of surveillance tools to confirm eradication or monitor for infection recrudescence (32%) and lack of resources (23%).ConclusionsDevelopment of alternative indicators for trachoma surveillance and continued investment in trachoma programmes, particularly focused support in the most heavily affected populations, might increase enthusiasm for the feasibility of eradication.


2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (06.1) ◽  
pp. 3S-9S ◽  
Author(s):  
Mekuria Asfaw ◽  
Maria Zolfo ◽  
Nebiyu Negussu ◽  
Fantahun Tadesse ◽  
Tafese Tadele ◽  
...  

Introduction: Trachoma is one of the 20 neglected tropical diseases and a serious public health problem in Ethiopia. To reach the WHO elimination target by 2020, SAFE (Surgery, Antibiotics, Facial cleanliness, Environmental improvement) strategy has been implemented in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region (SNNPRs), Ethiopia. Scarce evidence exists regarding recent progress in achieving elimination of active trachoma (< 5%) and how well the SAFE strategy implemented. Methodology: A retrospective analysis of programmatic data in the period 2013-2018 was used. All trachoma endemic districts in SNNPR were included. Data collected from the Federal Ministry of Health on trachoma prevalence and SAFE strategy were analyzed. Results: Out of 134 endemic districts, only 35 had their planned impact survey, of which only 11 districts achieved the elimination target. Six districts reverted backwards from eliminated status to low (1) or moderate (5) level. The median prevalence of active trachoma in these 35 districts was 10% in 2017/18. In 2017, the mean antibiotic treatment coverage was 90%, but only 56% and 68% of districts implemented and reported on “F” and “E” components, respectively. In the high prevalence districts, only 10% delivered their planned five rounds of Zithromax® mass distribution. Conclusions: These data showed a lack in planned impact surveys with only a limited number of districts reached the WHO elimination threshold by 2018. Lack of attention on high prevalent districts, and recent reversal of trachoma eliminated districts to moderate or low prevalence levels argue for urgent and prioritized implementation of the SAFE strategy.


2018 ◽  
Vol 55 (4) ◽  
pp. 275-280
Author(s):  
A. Dudlová ◽  
P. Juriš ◽  
P. Jarčuška ◽  
Z. Vasilková ◽  
V. Vargová ◽  
...  

Abstract Helminth infections caused by Enterobius vermicularis have a cosmopolitan character and most often affect the paediatric pre-school and school age population. The presented study was conducted to determine the prevalence of E. vermicularis in the analyzed population of children in the Eastern Slovakia. The Graham’s scotch tape method was used to investigate the presence of Enterobius vermicularis eggs in 390 specimens. The analyzed set consisted of 218 girls and 172 boys, divided by age into three groups - aged from 5 months to 2 years, aged from 3 to 6 years, and aged from 7 to 15 years. Investigation of perianal scotch tapes of children for the presence of E. vermicularis eggs revealed the prevalence of E. vermicularis was P = 3.59 %. Depending on the incidence of E. vermicularis infection, we detected no statistically signifi cant difference (p> 0.05). The prevalence of E. vermicularis in boys was P = 4.07 %, and in girls P = 3.21 %. The highest prevalence of E. vermicularis was recorded in the group of children aged from 3 to 6 years (P = 5.03 %). Most of the samples were positive at age 4 and 5. The lowest prevalence was in the group of children aged from 5 months to 2 years (P = 0.97 %), and the prevalence of E. vermicularis in the group of children aged from 7 to 15 was P = 3.91 %. The difference in the incidence of E. vermicularis infection among different age groups of children was not statistically significant (p> 0.05). Enterobius vermicularis nematode infection and enterobiasis currently represents a major public health problem in Slovakia. At the present its occurrence is the most frequent in the paediatric population. Therefore it is important to introduce a targeted hygienic-epidemiological measure in children’s collectives, what also should include proper and effective diagnostics and frequent recurrent therapy.


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