Schistosoma mansoni Infection Along the Coast of Lake Victoria in Mwanza Region, Tanzania

Annette Olsen Parasitology and Aquatic Diseases, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; National Institute for Medical Research, Mwanza Research Centre, Mwanza, Tanzania

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Safari Kinung'hi Parasitology and Aquatic Diseases, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; National Institute for Medical Research, Mwanza Research Centre, Mwanza, Tanzania

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Pascal Magnussen Parasitology and Aquatic Diseases, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; National Institute for Medical Research, Mwanza Research Centre, Mwanza, Tanzania

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Prevalence and intensity of Schistosoma mansoni infection according to age, sex, and occupation were investigated in 100 first-year students (aged 7–8 years), 100 schoolchildren (aged 9–12 years), and 50 adults (aged 20–55 years) from 149 villages. The schoolchildren provided three stool specimens while the rest provided only one specimen. A total of 31,865 individuals provided at least one specimen with an overall prevalence of 38.5% and geometric mean intensity of positives of 107.0 eggs per gram of feces. With the exception of first-year students, males had higher prevalence than females (P < 0.0005). Schoolchildren had higher prevalence than first-year students that again had higher prevalence than adults. There was no sex difference in intensities among the children, but adult males had higher intensities than adult females. Intensity among the children was higher than that of the adults (P < 0.0005). Prevalence was significantly higher in those having fishing as their main occupation. Three stools samples were obtained from 13,119 schoolchildren, resulting in a prevalence of 38.1% if only one sample was included, 47.5% including two samples, and 52.6% if all three samples were included.

Author Notes

* Address correspondence to Annette Olsen, Parasitology and Aquatic Diseases, Dyrlaegevej 100, DK-1270, Frederiksberg C, Denmark. E-mail: aol@sund.ku.dk

Financial support: This study received financial support from the University of Georgia Research Foundation, Inc., which was funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for the SCORE project.

Authors' addresses: Annette Olsen and Pascal Magnussen, Parasitology and Aquatic Diseases, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Dyrlaegevej, Frederiksberg C, Denmark, E-mails: aol@sund.ku.dk and pma@sund.ku.dk. Safari Kinung'hi, National Institute for Medical Research, Mwanza Research Centre, Isamilo Road, Mwanza, Tanzania, E-mail: kinunghi_csm@hotmail.com.

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