The prevalence of schistosomiasis in school-aged children as an appropriate indicator of its prevalence in the community.

School-aged children (6-15 years) from the endemic area of Pernambuco were evaluated both as a target group for and an indicator of schistosomiasis control in the community. Parasitological data were drawn from baseline stool surveys of whole populations that were obtained to diagnose Schistosoma mansoni infection. Nineteen representative localities were selected for assessing the prevalence of schistosomiasis among individuals in the following age groups: 0-5, 6-15, 16-25, 26-40 and 41-80 years. For each locality, the prevalence in each age group was compared to that of the overall population using contingency table analysis. To select a reference group, the operational difficulties of conducting residential surveys were considered. School-aged children may be considered to be the group of choice as the reference group for the overall population for the following reasons: (i) the prevalence of schistosomiasis in this age group had the highest correlation with the prevalence in the overall population (r = 0.967), (ii) this age group is particularly vulnerable to infection and plays an important role in parasite transmission and (iii) school-aged children are the main target of the World Health Organization in terms of helminth control. The Schistosomiasis Control Program should consider school-aged children both as a reference group for assessing the need for intervention at the community level and as a target group for integrated health care actions of the Unified Health System that are focused on high-risk groups.

The prevalence of schistosomiasis in school-aged children as an appropriate indicator of its prevalence in the community

School-aged children (6-15 years) from the endemic area of Pernambuco were evaluated both as a target group for and an indicator of schistosomiasis control in the community. Parasitological data were drawn from baseline stool surveys of whole populations that were obtained to diagnose Schistosoma mansoni infection. Nineteen representative localities were selected for assessing the prevalence of schistosomiasis among individuals in the following age groups: 0-5, 6-15, 16-25, 26-40 and 41-80 years. For each locality, the prevalence in each age group was compared to that of the overall population using contingency table analysis. To select a reference group, the operational difficulties of conducting residential surveys were considered. School-aged children may be considered to be the group of choice as the reference group for the overall population for the following reasons: (i) the prevalence of schistosomiasis in this age group had the highest correlation with the prevalence in the overall population (r = 0.967), (ii) this age group is particularly vulnerable to infection and plays an important role in parasite transmission and (iii) school-aged children are the main target of the World Health Organization in terms of helminth control. The Schistosomiasis Control Program should consider school-aged children both as a reference group for assessing the need for intervention at the community level and as a target group for integrated health care actions of the Unified Health System that are focused on high-risk groups.

Impacto do tratamento com praziquantel na infecção por Schistosoma mansoni em adolescentes do município de São Lourenço da Mata, área endêmica da esquistossomose em Pernambuco / Impact of treatment with praziquantel on Schistosoma mansoni infection in adolescents from the municipality of São Lourenço da Mata, an endemic area of schistosomiasis in Pernambuco

A esquistossomose é uma das doenças parasitárias mais prevalentes no mundo, sendo a quimioterapia com praziquantel (PZQ) a principal estratégia adotada para seu controle. No entanto, faltam informações sobre o impacto da quimioterapia com PZQ sobre a infecção por Schistosoma mansoni nas condições enfrentadas pelos programas de controle, e ainda não há prova de princípio sobre o melhor regime de dosagem a ser utilizado. Um ensaio clínico randomizado duplo-cego foi realizado com o objetivo de avaliar o impacto do tratamento em dose única de PZQ 60 mg/kg na infecção por S. mansoni comparado à dose padrão de PZQ 40 mg/kg em adolescentes do município de São Lourenço da Mata. Um inquérito coproscópico preliminar selecionou indivíduos para a triagem e aqueles que se adequaram aos critérios de inclusão/exclusão foram recrutados e tratados com dose única de 40 mg/kg ou 60 mg/kg de PZQ. Inquéritos coproscópicos de acompanhamento foram realizados aos 21, 180 e 360 dias pós-tratamento. A prevalência e a intensidade de infecção foram comparadas nos quatro momentos do estudo nos dois grupos de tratamento utilizando tabelas de contingência (Qui-quadrado ou teste exato de Fisher) e ANOVA. A influência de outras variáveis no estudo foi avaliada através da análise de regressão logística. Um levantamento malacológico foi realizado para verificar a infecção natural da espécie hospedeira local, Biomphalaria straminea. A análise da distribuição espacial da infecção nos dois grupos antes e depois (180 e 360 dias) do tratamento foi realizada pela estimativa de densidade de kernel para a detecção de aglomerados de casos...