Epidemiology and geography of Schistosoma mansoni in Uganda: implications for planning control

Summary Intestinal schistosomiasis caused by infection with Schistosoma mansoni is a widespread public health problem in Uganda. Although long known to be endemic, its current distribution within the country requires updating of parasitological data to help guide planned control. We report such data...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Tropical medicine & international health 2004-03, Vol.9 (3), p.372-380
Main Authors: Kabatereine, Narcis B., Brooker, Simon, Tukahebwa, Edridah M., Kazibwe, Francis, Onapa, Ambrose W.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Age Distribution
Biological and medical sciences
Child
Child, Preschool
control programmes
Ecosystem
epidemiology
Female
General aspects
Geographic Information Systems
geographical information systems (GIS)
Human infectious diseases. Experimental studies and models
Humans
Infectious diseases
intestinal schistosomiasis
Male
Medical sciences
Population Surveillance - methods
Prevalence
Preventive Health Services - organization & administration
Risk Factors
Schistosoma mansoni
Schistosomiasis mansoni - epidemiology
Topography, Medical
Uganda
Uganda - epidemiology
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Summary:Summary Intestinal schistosomiasis caused by infection with Schistosoma mansoni is a widespread public health problem in Uganda. Although long known to be endemic, its current distribution within the country requires updating of parasitological data to help guide planned control. We report such data collected between 1998 and 2002 from 201 schools and 68 communities across Uganda. In accordance with epidemiological expectation, prevalence and intensity increased with age, peaking at 10–20 years and thereafter declined moderately with age, whereas intensity declined more rapidly with age, and the prevalence of infection in a school was non‐linearly related to the mean intensity of infection. We used geographical information systems to map the distribution of infection and to overlay parasitological data with interpolated environmental surfaces. The derived maps indicate both a widespread occurrence of infection and a marked variability in infection prevalence, with prevalence typically highest near the lakeshore and along large rivers. No transmission occurred at altitudes >1400 m or where total annual rainfall was
ISSN:1360-2276
1365-3156
DOI:10.1046/j.1365-3156.2003.01176.x