Assessment of control and epidemiologic details of the schistosomiasis mansoni in Bananal, São Paulo, Brazil

Schistosomiasis in the Middle Paranapanema river region, state of São Paulo, Brazil: Does it matter today for public health?

INTRODUCTION

The Middle Paranapanema watershed is known for the transmission of schistosomiasis, and there have been autochthonous cases since 1952. This study aimed to describe this disease in space and time and evaluate its current importance as a public health problem.

METHODS

Thematic maps showing the risk areas for transmission of schistosomiasis, using scan statistics, and flow maps were created in the period 1978-2016. Incidence was calculated, and the existence of spatial dependence between autochthonous and imported cases was evaluated using Ripley's K12-function. Species of snails were identified in high-risk clusters.

RESULTS

A total of 1,511 autochthonous cases were reported in eight of the 25 municipalities in the study area, of which 92.8% occurred in Ourinhos. A total of 2,189 imported cases were reported (27% in Ourinhos and 20% in Assis), mainly originating in the states of Paraná and Minas Gerais. Clusters of autochthonous and imported cases with higher risk were identified in Ourinhos, Assis and Ipaussu. However, over the years, the cases began to occur in low density in Ourinhos and no longer in other municipalities in the region. The cluster detected in the period 2007-2016 in Ourinhos still has risk for the transmission of schistosomiasis. K12-function analysis indicated positive spatial dependence between autochthonous and imported cases.

CONCLUSIONS

The study showed that, currently, schistosomiasis as a public health problem in Middle Paranapanema is restricted to Ourinhos. This fact may be related to the presence of Biomphalaria glabrata at a specific point and low coverage of basic sanitation.

Integrated approach to the understanding of the degradation of an urban river: local perceptions, environmental parameters and geoprocessing

BACKGROUND

The use of interdisciplinary approaches such as the proposed report provides a broad understanding of the relationship between people and the environment, revealing reliable aspects not previously considered in the study of this relationship. This study compiled evidence on the environmental degradation of an urbanized river over the past few decades, providing a diagnosis of the consequences of this process for the river, its ichthyofauna, and the local human population.

METHODS

The study was focused on the Beira Rio community on the Capibaribe River in the municipality of São Lourenço da Mata, Pernambuco, Brazil. Data were collected using geoprocessing and ethnobiological approaches, as well as environmental parameters. This research was conducted with the most experienced long-term residents in the local community, through interviews and participatory methodologies to recovering information about the river environment, its ichthyofauna and its environmental services for the last decades.

RESULTS

According to the GIS analysis, the study area was subject to an accelerated process of urbanization, with the total urban area increasing from 73 565, 98 m(2) in 1974 to 383 363, 6 m(2) in 2005. The informants perceived the urban growth, especially in the late twentieth century, being this period recognized as the phase of greatest negative changes in the river environment. The perceived decline of fish stocks was indicated by the community as one of the effects of river degradation. According to the interviews, the deterioration of the river affected the ecosystem services and the relationship of the adjacent human community with this ecosystem. The environmental data indicated that the river is suffering eutrophization and has fecal coliform concentrations 160 times higher than the maximum level permitted by Brazilian legislation.

CONCLUSIONS

The interdisciplinary approach used in this research allowed the understanding of the degradation process of an urban river and some negative effects through the integration of environmental data, GIS and the local knowledge, revealing the complementarity of obtained data and the effectiveness of implementation of this approach.