Prevalence of untreated schistosomiasis among Sudanese refugees: "The Lost Boys of Sudan" in the United States

ABSTRACT

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.