Background. The increase in global travelling also brings
infections from endemic to non-endemic regions where
diagnosis and
treatment may be delayed.
Methods. From 2005 to 2008, 104 Sudanese
refugees were evaluated to determine the
prevalence of untreated
schistosomiasis at the
Tropical Medicine Clinic at Emory
University in Atlanta, GA. Sera from 87
patients were screened using FAST-
ELISA and
antigen-specific immunoblots. Results. Of the 87
patients screened, 44.8% were positive for
schistosomiasis antibodies, including
Schistosoma mansoni and S. haematobium. Conclusion. Our study emphasizes the need for single-
dose presumptive
treatment of
praziquantel among sub-Saharan
refugees and long-term travelers.