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Moustapha LM, Doutchi M, Moutari IB, Seyni YM, Abdoulaye KK, Ibrahim LM. Urinary Schistosomiasis in the Urban Community of Zinder (Niger): The Permanent Pond of In'birgui, an Epidemic Focus. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY 2024; 19:128-130. [PMID: 38654953 PMCID: PMC11033545 DOI: 10.18502/ijpa.v19i1.15221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
The Article Abstract is not available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lamine Mahaman Moustapha
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of André Salifou (UAS), Zinder, Niger
- Medical and Health Research Center (CERMES), Niamey, Niger
| | - Mahamadou Doutchi
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of André Salifou (UAS), Zinder, Niger
| | - Issoufou Brah Moutari
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of André Salifou (UAS), Zinder, Niger
| | - Yansambou Mahamadou Seyni
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of André Salifou (UAS), Zinder, Niger
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2
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Dermauw V, Van De Vijver E, Dorny P, Giorgi E, Ganaba R, Millogo A, Tarnagda Z, Cissé AK, Carabin H. Geostatistical analysis of active human cysticercosis: Results of a large-scale study in 60 villages in Burkina Faso. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2023; 17:e0011437. [PMID: 37494329 PMCID: PMC10370738 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Cysticercosis is a neglected tropical disease caused by the larval stage of the zoonotic tapeworm (Taenia solium). While there is a clear spatial component in the occurrence of the parasite, no geostatistical analysis of active human cysticercosis has been conducted yet, nor has such an analysis been conducted for Sub-Saharan Africa, albeit relevant for guiding prevention and control strategies. The goal of this study was to conduct a geostatistical analysis of active human cysticercosis, using data from the baseline cross-sectional component of a large-scale study in 60 villages in Burkina Faso. The outcome was the prevalence of active human cysticercosis (hCC), determined using the B158/B60 Ag-ELISA, while various environmental variables linked with the transmission and spread of the disease were explored as potential explanatory variables for the spatial distribution of T. solium. A generalized linear geostatistical model (GLGM) was run, and prediction maps were generated. Analyses were conducted using data generated at two levels: individual participant data and grouped village data. The best model was selected using a backward variable selection procedure and models were compared using likelihood ratio testing. The best individual-level GLGM included precipitation (increasing values were associated with an increased odds of positive test result), distance to the nearest river (decreased odds) and night land temperature (decreased odds) as predictors for active hCC, whereas the village-level GLGM only retained precipitation and distance to the nearest river. The range of spatial correlation was estimated at 45.0 [95%CI: 34.3; 57.8] meters and 28.2 [95%CI: 14.0; 56.2] km for the individual- and village-level datasets, respectively. Individual- and village-level GLGM unravelled large areas with active hCC predicted prevalence estimates of at least 4% in the south-east, the extreme south, and north-west of the study area, while patches of prevalence estimates below 2% were seen in the north and west. More research designed to analyse the spatial characteristics of hCC is needed with sampling strategies ensuring appropriate characterisation of spatial variability, and incorporating the uncertainty linked to the measurement of outcome and environmental variables in the geostatistical analysis. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov; NCT0309339.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronique Dermauw
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Ellen Van De Vijver
- Department of Environment, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Pierre Dorny
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Emanuele Giorgi
- Centre for Health Informatics, Computing, and Statistics, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom
| | | | - Athanase Millogo
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sourô Sanou, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
- Université Ouagadougou, Joseph Ki-Zerbo, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Zékiba Tarnagda
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - Assana Kone Cissé
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - Hélène Carabin
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
- Centre de Recherche en Santé Publique (CReSP), Montreal, Canada
- Groupe de Recherche en Épidémiologie des Zoonoses et Santé Publique (GREZOSP), Montreal, Canada
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States of America
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Weinreich F, Weinreich F, Hahn A, Hagen RM, Rohde H, Sarfo FS, Feldt T, Dompreh A, Asibey SO, Boateng R, Frickmann H, Eberhardt KA. Screening for Schistosoma spp. and Leishmania spp. DNA in Serum of Ghanaian Patients with Acquired Immunodeficiency. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11070760. [PMID: 35890001 PMCID: PMC9323644 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11070760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Both Schistosoma spp. (species) and Leishmania spp. are prevalent in Ghana in West Africa. However, little is known about their local occurrence in immunocompromised individuals. In the study presented here, the real-time PCR-(polymerase chain reaction-)based screening for repetitive DNA (deoxyribonucleotide acid) sequences from the genomes of Leishmania (L.) spp. and Schistosoma (S.) spp. was performed in the serum of HIV-(human immunodeficiency virus-)infected Ghanaian patients. In 1083 assessed serum samples from HIV-positive and HIV-negative Ghanian patients, Leishmania spp.-specific DNA was not detected, while the diagnostic accuracy-adjusted prevalence estimation suggested a 3.6% prevalence of the S. mansoni complex and a 0.5% prevalence of the S. haematobium complex. Associations of schistosomiasis with younger age, as well as with the male sex, could be shown but not with an HIV status. Weakly significant signals for the associations of schistosomiasis with an increased viral load, reduced CD4+ (CD = cluster of differentiation) T cell count, and a reduced CD4+/CD8+ ratio could be observed but was inconsistently lost in the case of the stratification on the species complex level. So, it is concluded that factors other than HIV status are more likely to have influenced the occurrence of Schistosoma spp. infections in the assessed Ghanaian patients. Potential associations between HIV infection-associated factors, such as the viral load and the immune status of the patients, for which weak signals were observed in this hypothesis-forming retrospective assessment, should be confirmed by prospective, sufficiently powered investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Weinreich
- Department of Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, Bundeswehr Hospital Hamburg, 20359 Hamburg, Germany; (F.W.); (F.W.); (H.F.)
| | - Felix Weinreich
- Department of Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, Bundeswehr Hospital Hamburg, 20359 Hamburg, Germany; (F.W.); (F.W.); (H.F.)
| | - Andreas Hahn
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Virology and Hygiene, University Medicine Rostock, 18057 Rostock, Germany;
| | - Ralf Matthias Hagen
- Department of Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, Bundeswehr Central Hospital Koblenz, 56070 Koblenz, Germany;
| | - Holger Rohde
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Virology and Hygiene, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), 20251 Hamburg, Germany;
| | - Fred Stephen Sarfo
- Department of Medicine, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi 00233, Ghana;
- Department of Medicine, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi 00233, Ghana;
| | - Torsten Feldt
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Infectious Diseases, University Medical Center Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany;
| | - Albert Dompreh
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi 00233, Ghana; (A.D.); (R.B.)
| | | | - Richard Boateng
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi 00233, Ghana; (A.D.); (R.B.)
| | - Hagen Frickmann
- Department of Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, Bundeswehr Hospital Hamburg, 20359 Hamburg, Germany; (F.W.); (F.W.); (H.F.)
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Virology and Hygiene, University Medicine Rostock, 18057 Rostock, Germany;
| | - Kirsten Alexandra Eberhardt
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine & I. Department of Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
- Division of Hygiene and Infectious Diseases, Institute of Hygiene and Environment, 20539 Hamburg, Germany
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-40-42818-0
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Aula OP, McManus DP, Jones MK, Gordon CA. Schistosomiasis with a Focus on Africa. Trop Med Infect Dis 2021; 6:109. [PMID: 34206495 PMCID: PMC8293433 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed6030109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is a common neglected tropical disease of impoverished people and livestock in many developing countries in tropical Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America. Substantial progress has been made in controlling schistosomiasis in some African countries, but the disease still prevails in most parts of sub-Saharan Africa with an estimated 800 million people at risk of infection. Current control strategies rely primarily on treatment with praziquantel, as no vaccine is available; however, treatment alone does not prevent reinfection. There has been emphasis on the use of integrated approaches in the control and elimination of the disease in recent years with the development of health infrastructure and health education. However, there is a need to evaluate the present status of African schistosomiasis, primarily caused by Schistosoma mansoni and S. haematobium, and the factors affecting the disease as the basis for developing more effective control and elimination strategies in the future. This review provides an historical perspective of schistosomiasis in Africa and discusses the current status of control efforts in those countries where the disease is endemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oyime Poise Aula
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane 4006, Australia;
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane 4006, Australia
| | - Donald P. McManus
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane 4006, Australia;
| | - Malcolm K. Jones
- School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Queensland, Gatton 4343, Australia;
| | - Catherine A. Gordon
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane 4006, Australia;
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Bezerra DVF, Queiroz JW, Câmara VAV, Maciel BLL, Nascimento ELT, Jerônimo SMB. Factors Associated with Schistosoma mansoni Infestation in Northeast Brazil: A Need to Revisit Individual and Community Risk Factors. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2021; 104:1404-1411. [PMID: 33591939 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.19-0513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
In Brazil, schistosomiasis continues to be an important health issue. The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with Schistosoma mansoni infestation. A cross-sectional study was performed to assess factors associated with S. mansoni endemicity in a municipality in Northeast Brazil with a history of reporting schistosomiasis. Participants were divided into four groups: 1) new S. mansoni cases (n = 44), 2) past history of S. mansoni treatment (n = 78), 3) immediate neighbors (n = 158), and 4) nearby controls (n = 35). Multiple comparisons analysis was performed. Subjects had a mean of 6.6 ± 3.9 years of education, and no difference was observed regarding family income (one-way ANOVA, P = 0.215). A total of 95.9% of the individuals had rudimentary cesspit as sanitary wastewater. The mean body mass index was 28.3 ± 5.1, with 41.0% and 24.1% overweight and obesity, respectively. Of note, 28.9% of adults had hypertension. Hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin were higher in the recent S. mansoni treated group (Wilks' lambda, P < 0.001). Male gender was more prevalent in new S. mansoni cases (likelihood ratio, P < 0.001), close proximity to water collections was a risk for S. mansoni infestation (likelihood ratio, P < 0.001), and a better hematological status was observed in individuals recently treated with praziquantel. This study indicates the need to maintain surveillance for S. mansoni in low-transmission areas and the need to establish community-based interventions to control transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle V F Bezerra
- 1Institute of Tropical Medicine of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil.,2Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - José W Queiroz
- 1Institute of Tropical Medicine of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil.,3Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Victor A V Câmara
- 1Institute of Tropical Medicine of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Bruna L L Maciel
- 2Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil.,4Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Eliana L T Nascimento
- 1Institute of Tropical Medicine of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil.,5Department of Infectious Diseases, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Selma M B Jerônimo
- 1Institute of Tropical Medicine of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil.,2Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil.,3Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil.,6Institute of Science and Technology of Tropical Diseases, INCT-DT, Salvador, Brazil
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Fornace KM, Fronterrè C, Fleming FM, Simpson H, Zoure H, Rebollo M, Mwinzi P, Vounatsou P, Pullan RL. Evaluating survey designs for targeting preventive chemotherapy against Schistosoma haematobium and Schistosoma mansoni across sub-Saharan Africa: a geostatistical analysis and modelling study. Parasit Vectors 2020; 13:555. [PMID: 33203463 PMCID: PMC7672864 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-04413-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Schistosomiasis control programmes primarily use school-based surveys to identify areas for mass drug administration of preventive chemotherapy. However, as the spatial distribution of schistosomiasis can be highly focal, transmission may not be detected by surveys implemented at districts or larger spatial units. Improved mapping strategies are required to accurately and cost-effectively target preventive chemotherapy to remaining foci across all possible spatial distributions of schistosomiasis. METHODS Here, we use geostatistical models to quantify the spatial heterogeneity of Schistosoma haematobium and S. mansoni across sub-Saharan Africa using the most comprehensive dataset available on school-based surveys. Applying this information to parameterise simulations, we assess the accuracy and cost of targeting alternative implementation unit sizes across the range of plausible schistosomiasis distributions. We evaluate the consequences of decisions based on survey designs implemented at district and subdistrict levels sampling different numbers of schools. Cost data were obtained from field surveys conducted across multiple countries and years, with cost effectiveness evaluated as the cost per correctly identified school. RESULTS Models identified marked differences in prevalence and spatial distributions between countries and species; however, results suggest implementing surveys at subdistrict level increase the accuracy of treatment classifications across most scenarios. While sampling intensively at the subdistrict level resulted in the highest classification accuracy, this sampling strategy resulted in the highest costs. Alternatively, sampling the same numbers of schools currently recommended at the district level but stratifying by subdistrict increased cost effectiveness. CONCLUSIONS This study provides a new tool to evaluate schistosomiasis survey designs across a range of transmission settings. Results highlight the importance of considering spatial structure when designing sampling strategies, illustrating that a substantial proportion of children may be undertreated even when an implementation unit is correctly classified. Control programmes need to weigh the increased accuracy of more detailed mapping strategies against the survey costs and treatment priorities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly M Fornace
- Department of Disease Control, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
| | - Claudio Fronterrè
- Centre for Health Informatics, Computing and Statistics (CHICAS), Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
| | | | - Hope Simpson
- Department of Disease Control, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Honorat Zoure
- Expanded Special Project of the Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases (ESPEN), Africa Regional Office of the World Health Organisation, Brazzaville, Congo
| | - Maria Rebollo
- Expanded Special Project of the Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases (ESPEN), Africa Regional Office of the World Health Organisation, Brazzaville, Congo
| | - Pauline Mwinzi
- Expanded Special Project of the Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases (ESPEN), Africa Regional Office of the World Health Organisation, Brazzaville, Congo
| | | | - Rachel L Pullan
- Department of Disease Control, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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Cunningham LJ, Campbell SJ, Armoo S, Koukounari A, Watson V, Selormey P, Stothard JR, Idun B, Asiedu M, Ashong Y, Adams ER, Osei-Atweneboana MY. Assessing expanded community wide treatment for schistosomiasis: Baseline infection status and self-reported risk factors in three communities from the Greater Accra region, Ghana. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0007973. [PMID: 32339185 PMCID: PMC7205311 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2019] [Revised: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This paper reports on the baseline prevalence and associated risk factor findings of a pilot, longitudinal study exploring community-wide treatment of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis, using albendazole plus praziquantel in the Greater Accra region of Ghana. METHOD From three communities, at least, 658 individuals were enrolled into the study via random household selection. Prevalence and intensity of schistosomiasis and STH infection were determined from stool and urine samples with a questionnaire being administered in order to explore other morbidities and risk factors. Factor analysis of household demographic variables was undertaken to generate a socioeconomic score; this was then further categorised into tertiles. Proportional-odds cumulative logit generalised estimating equation (GEE) models were used to investigate categorical ordinal intensity of infection associations with morbidity. Separately, logistic GEE models were used to investigate risk factor associations with infection prevalence. RESULTS Both Schistosoma haematobium and S. mansoni were prevalent in the three communities, with the prevalence of S. haematobium ranging from 3.3% (24/679; 95% CI = 1.9-4.7) to 19% (114/632; 95% CI = 15.8-22.2) and S. mansoni ranging from 30% (202/679; 95% CI = 26.5-33.5) to 78.3% (409/536; 95% CI = 74.7-81.9). The total prevalence of STH across all three sites was negligible at 1.3% (24/1847; 95% CI = 0.8-1.9) comprising mainly hookworm (10/1847). Multivariable statistical models indicated males to be 2.3 (95% CI = 1.7-3.3) times more likely to have a high intensity S. mansoni infection and 1.5 (95% CI = 1.1-2) times more likely to have a high intensity of S. haematobium infection compared to females. There was no significant difference in the likelihood of infection with S. mansoni between adults and school age children (SAC), however S. haematobium infections were found to be 2.5 (95% CI = 1.8-3.5) times more likely to occur in school age children than in adults. Multivariable statistical models (adjusted for age and sex) indicated an association between schistosomiasis and a number of self-reported morbidity indicators (notably diarrhoea and blood in stool and urine). Low socio-economic status was also associated with SCH infection (OR: 2; 95% CI = 1.3-3.2). CONCLUSION The communities targeted by this study showed a range of Schistosoma prevalence's of infection, from hypo-endemic through to meso-endemic and hyper-endemic. The prevalence of SCH across the different age groups in the study locations highlights the large number of individuals currently being left out of the standard morbidity control method of annual treatment of the SAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas J. Cunningham
- Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | | | - Samuel Armoo
- Department of Biomedical and Public Health Research, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research—Water Research Institute, Council Close, Accra, Ghana
| | - Artemis Koukounari
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, United Kingdom
| | - Victoria Watson
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Pamela Selormey
- Department of Biomedical and Public Health Research, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research—Water Research Institute, Council Close, Accra, Ghana
| | - J. Russell Stothard
- Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Bright Idun
- Department of Biomedical and Public Health Research, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research—Water Research Institute, Council Close, Accra, Ghana
| | - Manfred Asiedu
- Department of Biomedical and Public Health Research, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research—Water Research Institute, Council Close, Accra, Ghana
| | - Yvonne Ashong
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Emily R. Adams
- Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Mike Yaw Osei-Atweneboana
- Department of Biomedical and Public Health Research, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research—Water Research Institute, Council Close, Accra, Ghana
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Wrable M, Kulinkina AV, Liss A, Koch M, Cruz MS, Biritwum NK, Ofosu A, Gute DM, Kosinski KC, Naumova EN. The use of remotely sensed environmental parameters for spatial and temporal schistosomiasis prediction across climate zones in Ghana. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2019; 191:301. [PMID: 31254149 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-019-7411-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2017] [Accepted: 03/20/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Schistosomiasis control in sub-Saharan Africa is enacted primarily through preventive chemotherapy. Predictive models can play an important role in filling knowledge gaps in the distribution of the disease and help guide the allocation of limited resources. Previous modeling approaches have used localized cross-sectional survey data and environmental data typically collected at a discrete point in time. In this analysis, 8 years (2008-2015) of monthly schistosomiasis cases reported into Ghana's national surveillance system were used to assess temporal and spatial relationships between disease rates and three remotely sensed environmental variables: land surface temperature (LST), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and accumulated precipitation (AP). Furthermore, the analysis was stratified by three major and nine minor climate zones, defined using a new climate classification method. Results showed a downward trend in reported disease rates (~ 1% per month) for all climate zones. Seasonality was present in the north with two peaks (March and September), and in the middle of the country with a single peak (July). Lowest disease rates were observed in December/January across climate zones. Seasonal patterns in the environmental variables and their associations with reported schistosomiasis infection rates varied across climate zones. Precipitation consistently demonstrated a positive association with disease outcome, with a 1-cm increase in rainfall contributing a 0.3-1.6% increase in monthly reported schistosomiasis infection rates. Generally, surveillance of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in low-income countries continues to suffer from data quality issues. However, with systematic improvements, our approach demonstrates a way for health departments to use routine surveillance data in combination with publicly available remote sensing data to analyze disease patterns with wide geographic coverage and varying levels of spatial and temporal aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Alexander Liss
- School of Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
| | - Magaly Koch
- Center for Remote Sensing, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Melissa S Cruz
- Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, 150 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA, 02111, USA
| | | | - Anthony Ofosu
- Ghana Health Service, Policy, Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation Division, Accra, Ghana
| | - David M Gute
- School of Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
| | | | - Elena N Naumova
- School of Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA.
- Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, 150 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA, 02111, USA.
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Osei FB, Stein A, Ofosu A. Poisson-Gamma Mixture Spatially Varying Coefficient Modeling of Small-Area Intestinal Parasites Infection. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:ijerph16030339. [PMID: 30691092 PMCID: PMC6388120 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16030339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2018] [Revised: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/18/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the spatially varying effects of demographic factors on the spatio-temporal variation of intestinal parasites infections is important for public health intervention and monitoring. This paper presents a hierarchical Bayesian spatially varying coefficient model to evaluate the effects demographic factors on intestinal parasites morbidities in Ghana. The modeling relied on morbidity data collected by the District Health Information Management Systems. We developed Poisson and Poisson-gamma spatially varying coefficient models. We used the demographic factors, unsafe drinking water, unsafe toilet, and unsafe liquid waste disposal as model covariates. The models were fitted using the integrated nested Laplace approximations (INLA). The overall risk of intestinal parasites infection was estimated to be 10.9 per 100 people with a wide spatial variation in the district-specific posterior risk estimates. Substantial spatial variation of increasing multiplicative effects of unsafe drinking water, unsafe toilet, and unsafe liquid waste disposal occurs on the variation of intestinal parasites risk. The structured residual spatial variation widely dominates the unstructured component, suggesting that the unaccounted-for risk factors are spatially continuous in nature. The study concludes that both the spatial distribution of the posterior risk and the associated exceedance probability maps are essential for monitoring and control of intestinal parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank Badu Osei
- Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC), University of Twente, 7522 NB Enschede, The Netherlands.
| | - Alfred Stein
- Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC), University of Twente, 7522 NB Enschede, The Netherlands.
| | - Anthony Ofosu
- Policy, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (PPME)⁻Ghana Health Service; Accra, Ghana.
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10
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Hotez PJ, Biritwum NK, Fenwick A, Molyneux DH, Sachs JD. Ghana: Accelerating neglected tropical disease control in a setting of economic development. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007005. [PMID: 30653493 PMCID: PMC6336233 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Peter J. Hotez
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, United States of America
- James A Baker III Institute of Public Policy, Rice University, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs, Bush School of Government and Public Policy, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail: (PJH); (N-KB); (AF); (DHM); (JDS)
| | - Nana-Kwadwo Biritwum
- Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Ghana Health Service, Accra, Ghana
- * E-mail: (PJH); (N-KB); (AF); (DHM); (JDS)
| | - Alan Fenwick
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (PJH); (N-KB); (AF); (DHM); (JDS)
| | - David H. Molyneux
- Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (PJH); (N-KB); (AF); (DHM); (JDS)
| | - Jeffrey D. Sachs
- Center for Sustainable Development, Earth Institute, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail: (PJH); (N-KB); (AF); (DHM); (JDS)
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11
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Squire SA, Yang R, Robertson I, Ayi I, Squire DS, Ryan U. Gastrointestinal helminths in farmers and their ruminant livestock from the Coastal Savannah zone of Ghana. Parasitol Res 2018; 117:3183-3194. [PMID: 30030626 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-018-6017-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2018] [Accepted: 07/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
To identify the gastrointestinal helminths of veterinary, zoonotic and public health importance in farmers and their ruminant livestock in Ghana, faecal samples were collected from 95 farmers and their livestock (cattle = 328, sheep = 285 and goats = 217) and examined by microscopy and/or molecular techniques. Overall, 21 farmers tested positive for at least one gastrointestinal helminth, 80.9% of which were single infections and 19.0% co-infections. The parasites identified in the farmers consisted of hookworms (n = 13) (9 were Necator americanus and the other 4 could not be amplified by PCR), Trichostrongylus spp. (n = 9), Schistosoma mansoni (n = 1), Schistosoma haematobium (n = 1) and Diphyllobothrium latum (n = 1). In livestock, strongylid nematodes were dominant (56.6%), followed by Paramphistomum spp. (16.9%), Dicrocoelium spp. (7.1%), Thysaniezia spp. (5.8%), Trichuris spp. (3.3%), Moniezia spp. (3.1%), Fasciola spp. (2.8%), Toxocara spp. (1.1%) and Schistosoma spp. (0.2%). Genotyping of Trichostrongylus spp. in the farmer's stools identified six T. colubriformis similar to T. colubriformis detected in cattle, sheep and goats in the study, two Trichostrongylus spp. with 98.3% and 99.2% genetic similarity to T. probolurus respectively and one Trichostrongylus spp. which showed 96.6% similarity to both T. probolurus and T. rugatus. Trichostrongylus axei was also identified in cattle, sheep and goats. This is the first molecular characterisation of Trichostrongylus spp. in Ghana and the species identified in the present study suggests zoonotic transmission from cattle, sheep and goats. Further studies involving larger numbers of farmers and their household members are essential to understand the transmission dynamics and impact of these parasites on farming communities in Ghana.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvia Afriyie Squire
- School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia. .,Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Animal Research Institute, P. O. Box AH 20, Achimota, Accra, Ghana.
| | - Rongchang Yang
- School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Ian Robertson
- School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia.,China-Australia Joint Research and Training Center for Veterinary Epidemiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Irene Ayi
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, P. O. Box LG 581, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Daniel Sai Squire
- School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia.,Usher Polyclinic, Ghana Health Service, P. O. Box GP 2105, Accra, Ghana
| | - Una Ryan
- School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia
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Tchuem Tchuenté LA, Rollinson D, Stothard JR, Molyneux D. Moving from control to elimination of schistosomiasis in sub-Saharan Africa: time to change and adapt strategies. Infect Dis Poverty 2017; 6:42. [PMID: 28219412 PMCID: PMC5319063 DOI: 10.1186/s40249-017-0256-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2016] [Accepted: 02/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is a water borne parasitic disease of global importance and with ongoing control the disease endemic landscape is changing. In sub-Saharan Africa, for example, the landscape is becoming ever more heterogeneous as there are several species of Schistosoma that respond in different ways to ongoing preventive chemotherapy and the inter-sectoral interventions currently applied. The major focus of preventive chemotherapy is delivery of praziquantel by mass drug administration to those shown to be, or presumed to be, at-risk of infection and disease. In some countries, regional progress may be uneven but in certain locations there are very real prospects to transition from control into interruption of transmission, and ultimately elimination. To manage this transition requires reconsideration of some of the currently deployed diagnostic tools used in surveillance and downward realignment of existing prevalence thresholds to trigger mass treatment. A key challenge will be maintaining and if possible, expanding the current donation of praziquantel to currently overlooked groups, then judging when appropriate to move from mass drug administration to selective treatment. In so doing, this will ensure the health system is adapted, primed and shown to be cost-effective to respond to these changing disease dynamics as we move forward to 2020 targets and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis-Albert Tchuem Tchuenté
- National Programme for the Control of Schistosomiasis and STH, Ministry of Public Health, Yaoundé, Cameroon. .,Centre for Schistosomiasis and Parasitology, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
| | - David Rollinson
- Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London, SW7 5BD, UK
| | - J Russell Stothard
- Department of Parasitology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, L3 5QA, UK
| | - David Molyneux
- Department of Parasitology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, L3 5QA, UK
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Mapping Soil Transmitted Helminths and Schistosomiasis under Uncertainty: A Systematic Review and Critical Appraisal of Evidence. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2016; 10:e0005208. [PMID: 28005901 PMCID: PMC5179027 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2016] [Accepted: 11/23/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Spatial modelling of STH and schistosomiasis epidemiology is now commonplace. Spatial epidemiological studies help inform decisions regarding the number of people at risk as well as the geographic areas that need to be targeted with mass drug administration; however, limited attention has been given to propagated uncertainties, their interpretation, and consequences for the mapped values. Using currently published literature on the spatial epidemiology of helminth infections we identified: (1) the main uncertainty sources, their definition and quantification and (2) how uncertainty is informative for STH programme managers and scientists working in this domain. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We performed a systematic literature search using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) protocol. We searched Web of Knowledge and PubMed using a combination of uncertainty, geographic and disease terms. A total of 73 papers fulfilled the inclusion criteria for the systematic review. Only 9% of the studies did not address any element of uncertainty, while 91% of studies quantified uncertainty in the predicted morbidity indicators and 23% of studies mapped it. In addition, 57% of the studies quantified uncertainty in the regression coefficients but only 7% incorporated it in the regression response variable (morbidity indicator). Fifty percent of the studies discussed uncertainty in the covariates but did not quantify it. Uncertainty was mostly defined as precision, and quantified using credible intervals by means of Bayesian approaches. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE None of the studies considered adequately all sources of uncertainties. We highlighted the need for uncertainty in the morbidity indicator and predictor variable to be incorporated into the modelling framework. Study design and spatial support require further attention and uncertainty associated with Earth observation data should be quantified. Finally, more attention should be given to mapping and interpreting uncertainty, since they are relevant to inform decisions regarding the number of people at risk as well as the geographic areas that need to be targeted with mass drug administration.
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Agreement among Four Prevalence Metrics for Urogenital Schistosomiasis in the Eastern Region of Ghana. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2016; 2016:7627358. [PMID: 28078300 PMCID: PMC5203922 DOI: 10.1155/2016/7627358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2016] [Revised: 09/27/2016] [Accepted: 11/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Few studies assess agreement among Schistosoma haematobium eggs, measured hematuria, and self-reported metrics. We assessed agreement among four metrics at a single time point and analyzed the stability of infection across two time points with a single metric. We used data from the Eastern Region of Ghana and constructed logistic regression models. Girls reporting macrohematuria were 4.1 times more likely to have measured hematuria than girls not reporting macrohematuria (CI95%: 2.1–7.9); girls who swim were 3.6 times more likely to have measured hematuria than nonswimmers (CI95%: 1.6–7.9). For boys, neither self-reported metric was predictive. Girls with measured hematuria in 2010 were 3.3 times more likely to be positive in 2012 (CI95%: 1.01–10.5), but boys showed no association. Boys with measured hematuria in 2008 were 6.0 times more likely to have measured hematuria in 2009 (CI95%: 1.5–23.9) and those with eggs in urine in 2008 were 4.8 times more likely to have eggs in urine in 2009 (CI95%: 1.2–18.8). For girls, measured hematuria in 2008 predicted a positive test in 2009 (OR = 2.8; CI95%: 1.1–6.8), but egg status did not. Agreement between dipstick results and eggs suggests continued dipstick used is appropriate. Self-reported swimming should be further examined. For effective disease monitoring, we recommend annual dipstick testing.
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Hamm NAS, Soares Magalhães RJ, Clements ACA. Earth Observation, Spatial Data Quality, and Neglected Tropical Diseases. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2015; 9:e0004164. [PMID: 26678393 PMCID: PMC4683053 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Earth observation (EO) is the use of remote sensing and in situ observations to gather data on the environment. It finds increasing application in the study of environmentally modulated neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Obtaining and assuring the quality of the relevant spatially and temporally indexed EO data remain challenges. Our objective was to review the Earth observation products currently used in studies of NTD epidemiology and to discuss fundamental issues relating to spatial data quality (SDQ), which limit the utilization of EO and pose challenges for its more effective use. We searched Web of Science and PubMed for studies related to EO and echinococossis, leptospirosis, schistosomiasis, and soil-transmitted helminth infections. Relevant literature was also identified from the bibliographies of those papers. We found that extensive use is made of EO products in the study of NTD epidemiology; however, the quality of these products is usually given little explicit attention. We review key issues in SDQ concerning spatial and temporal scale, uncertainty, and the documentation and use of quality information. We give examples of how these issues may interact with uncertainty in NTD data to affect the output of an epidemiological analysis. We conclude that researchers should give careful attention to SDQ when designing NTD spatial-epidemiological studies. This should be used to inform uncertainty analysis in the epidemiological study. SDQ should be documented and made available to other researchers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas A. S. Hamm
- Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC), University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
- * E-mail:
| | - Ricardo J. Soares Magalhães
- School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- Child Health Research Centre, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Archie C. A. Clements
- Research School of Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
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Spatial and temporal distribution of soil-transmitted helminth infection in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review and geostatistical meta-analysis. THE LANCET. INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2014; 15:74-84. [PMID: 25486852 DOI: 10.1016/s1473-3099(14)71004-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Interest is growing in predictive risk mapping for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), particularly to scale up preventive chemotherapy, surveillance, and elimination efforts. Soil-transmitted helminths (hookworm, Ascaris lumbricoides, and Trichuris trichiura) are the most widespread NTDs, but broad geographical analyses are scarce. We aimed to predict the spatial and temporal distribution of soil-transmitted helminth infections, including the number of infected people and treatment needs, across sub-Saharan Africa. METHODS We systematically searched PubMed, Web of Knowledge, and African Journal Online from inception to Dec 31, 2013, without language restrictions, to identify georeferenced surveys. We extracted data from household surveys on sources of drinking water, sanitation, and women's level of education. Bayesian geostatistical models were used to align the data in space and estimate risk of with hookworm, A lumbricoides, and T trichiura over a grid of roughly 1 million pixels at a spatial resolution of 5 × 5 km. We calculated anthelmintic treatment needs on the basis of WHO guidelines (treatment of all school-aged children once per year where prevalence in this population is 20-50% or twice per year if prevalence is greater than 50%). FINDINGS We identified 459 relevant survey reports that referenced 6040 unique locations. We estimate that the prevalence of hookworm, A lumbricoides, and T trichiura among school-aged children from 2000 onwards was 16·5%, 6·6%, and 4·4%. These estimates are between 52% and 74% lower than those in surveys done before 2000, and have become similar to values for the entire communities. We estimated that 126 million doses of anthelmintic treatments are required per year. INTERPRETATION Patterns of soil-transmitted helminth infection in sub-Saharan Africa have changed and the prevalence of infection has declined substantially in this millennium, probably due to socioeconomic development and large-scale deworming programmes. The global control strategy should be reassessed, with emphasis given also to adults to progress towards local elimination. FUNDING Swiss National Science Foundation and European Research Council.
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