Schistosoma mansoni infection among prenatal attendees at a secondary-care hospital in central Sudan

• Published in: International journal of gynecology and obstetrics Vol. 116; no. 1; pp. 10 - 12
• Main Authors: Khalid, Abelrahman, Abdelgadir, Mohamed A, Ashmaig, Abellatif, Ibrahim, Abelrahman M, Ahmed, Abdel-Aziz M, Adam, Ishag
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01.01.2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Diseases caused by trematodes; Female; Gestational Age; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Helminthic diseases; Hospitals; Humans; Infectious diseases; Maternal Health Services; Medical sciences; Obstetrics and Gynecology; Odds Ratio; Parasite Egg Count; Parasitic diseases; Parity; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic - epidemiology; Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic - etiology; Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic - parasitology; Prenatal care; Prevalence; Risk Factors; Schistosoma mansoni - isolation & purification; Schistosomiases; Schistosomiasis; Schistosomiasis mansoni - epidemiology; Schistosomiasis mansoni - etiology; Schistosomiasis mansoni - parasitology; Socioeconomic Factors; Sudan; Sudan - epidemiology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Young Adult; Africa; Sudan; Pregnancy; Schistosomiasis; Prenatal care; Sudan; Schistosoma mansoni; Secondary; Gynecology; Trematode disease; Plathelmintha; Parasitosis; Helminthiasis; Obstetrics; Trematoda; Infection; Prenatal; Helmintha; Hospital; Invertebrata
• ISSN: 0020-7292; 1879-3479
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijgo.2011.08.018

Abstract Objective To investigate the epidemiology of Schistosoma mansoni infection among pregnant women in a secondary-care hospital in Geizera state, Sudan. Method Between August and September 2010, a cross-sectional study was conducted and questionnaires were administered to obtain basic sociodemographic and obstetric characteristics of pregnant women attending prenatal care at Araba Waeshreen Hospital. Stool samples were investigated for helminth infection via formol–ether concentration and Kato–Katz techniques. Results Of 292 pregnant women, 38 (13.0%) had S. mansoni infections. Hymenolepis nana and hookworm infections were present in 5 (1.7%) and 1 (0.3%) women, respectively. The intensity of the S. mansoni infection was light, moderate, and high in 13 (34.2%), 21 (55.3%), and 4 (10.5%) women, respectively. In multivariate analyses, parity, gestational age, and occupation were not associated with S. mansoni infection, unlike maternal age less than 20 years (odds ratio [OR] 9.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.5–16.3; P = 0.01) and no education (OR 6.2; 95% CI, 2.8–12.9; P < 0.001). Conclusion There was a high level of S. mansoni infection among pregnant women in the present setting, especially among younger women and those with no education. Control and preventive measures should be used in the area.