Epidemiology and morbidity of Schistosoma mansoni infection in a fishing community along Lake Albert in Uganda

• Published in: Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Vol. 98; no. 12; pp. 711 - 718
• Main Authors: Kabatereine, N.B., Kemijumbi, J., Ouma, J.H., Kariuki, H.C., Richter, J., Kadzo, H., Madsen, H., Butterworth, A.E., Ørnbjerg, N., Vennervald, B.J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2004; Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age Distribution; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child, Preschool; Diseases caused by trematodes; Endemic Diseases; Female; Fisheries; Fishing community; Fresh Water; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; General aspects; Helminthic diseases; Hepatomegaly; Humans; Infant; Infectious diseases; Liver. Biliary tract. Portal circulation. Exocrine pancreas; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Morbidity; Occupations; Other diseases. Semiology; Parasite Egg Count; Parasitic diseases; Prevalence; Rural Health; Schistosoma mansoni; Schistosoma mansoni - isolation & purification; Schistosomiases; Schistosomiasis mansoni - diagnostic imaging; Schistosomiasis mansoni - epidemiology; Schistosomiasis mansoni - pathology; Sex Distribution; Splenomegaly; Uganda; Uganda - epidemiology; Ultrasonography; East African Lakes; Uganda; Lake Albert; Africa; Fishing community; Schistosoma mansoni; Splenomegaly; Uganda; Hepatomegaly; Morbidity; Human; Trematode disease; Plathelmintha; Hepatic disease; Parasitosis; Helminthiasis; Epidemiology; Trematoda; Infection; Schistosomiasis; Schistosomo sool; Helmintha; Digestive diseases; Tropical medicine; Invertebrata; Community
• ISSN: 0035-9203; 1878-3503
• DOI: 10.1016/j.trstmh.2004.06.003

Schistosoma mansoni infection, associated morbidity and symptoms were studied in Piida fishing community at Butiaba, along Lake Albert, Uganda, from November 1996 to January 1997. The study revealed that S. mansoni is highly endemic with an overall prevalence of 72%, a mean intensity of 419.4 eggs per gram (epg) faeces (geometric mean for positives only), with 37.8% of males and 33.0% of females excreting over 1000 epg. Prevalence and intensity peaked in the 10–14 year old age group and decreased with increasing age. Females were less heavily infected than males. Differences were also shown between tribes. Diarrhoea and abdominal pain were commonly reported in Piida. However, no clear-cut correlation between intensity of S. mansoni infection and these conditions could be demonstrated, indicating that retrospective questionnaires concerning S. mansoni related-symptomatology are of limited value. Organomegaly, as assessed by ultrasonography, was frequent and hepatomegaly was associated with heavy S. mansoni infection. No correlation was demonstrated between splenomegaly and infection. This study emphasizes that schistosomiasis mansoni is a major public health problem in Piida fishing community and presumably also in many similar fishing communities. These observations call for immediate intervention and can help in planning long-term strategies for sustainable morbidity control.