Replacing oxamniquine by praziquantel against Schistosoma mansoni infection in a rural community from the sugar-cane zone of Northeast Brazil: an epidemiological follow-up

• Published in: Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz 2001-01, Vol.96 Suppl (suppl), p.165-167
• Main Authors: Beck, L, Favre, T C, Pieri, O S, Zani, L C, Domas, G G, Barbosa, C S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Anthelmintics - therapeutic use; Brazil; Brazil - epidemiology; chemotherapy; control; Crops, Agricultural; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Northeast; Oxamniquine - therapeutic use; Parasite Egg Count; PARASITOLOGY; Praziquantel - therapeutic use; Prevalence; Prognosis; Recurrence; Rural Health; Schistosoma mansoni - isolation & purification; schistosomiasis; Schistosomiasis mansoni - drug therapy; Schistosomiasis mansoni - epidemiology; Schistosomicides - therapeutic use; Seasons; TROPICAL MEDICINE
• ISSN: 0074-0276; 1678-8060; 0074-0276; 1678-8060
• DOI: 10.1590/S0074-02762001000900025

A group of 52 villagers was followed-up for three years regarding Schistosoma mansoni infection. All villagers were periodically surveyed by the Kato-Katz method. In March 1997 and March 1998 the positives were treated with oxamniquine (15-20 mg/kg), and in March 1999, with praziquantel (60 mg/kg). All infection indices decreased substantially between March 1999 and March 2000: prevalence of infection (from 32.7% to 21.2%), prevalence of moderate/heavy infection (from 7.7% to 1.9%), intensity of infection (from 23.1 epg to 7.4 epg) and reinfection (from 35.7% to 14.3%). Negativation increased from 53.8 to 82.4. An optimistic prognostic is assumed in the short term for the introduction of praziquantel in the study area.