Urogenital Schistosomiasis: Survey Among Aged 10 and Above in the Tambacounda Health District (Senegal)

• DOI: 10.11648/j.wjph.20251001.14
• Publication Date: 2025-03-04T02:34:11Z
• Authors: El Diop; Mamadou Leye; Adélaïde Dog; Ndèye Kane; Bayal Cisse; Dossolo Sanogo

<i>Introduction: </i>This study focuses on the persistence of urogenital schistosomiasis (8%) in the Tambacounda Health District, despite mass treatment efforts with Praziquantel targeting individuals aged 5–14 in 2023. The main objectives are to evaluate the current prevalence of the disease, identify factors contributing to its persistence, and assess the acceptability of implemented preventive measures.<i> Methods: </i>A descriptive and analytical study was conducted in August 2024, targeting individuals aged 10 and above. Data collection was performed using Kobo Collect, and analysis was carried out with R 4.4.1. Binary logistic regression was applied to identify factors associated with the occurrence of urogenital schistosomiasis.<i> Results: </i>Preventive measures were accepted by 83.47% of participants, while 14.6% reported a history of hematuria, but only 7.5% presented hematuria during the survey. Urine dipstick testing detected hematuria in 22.5% of participants, and 5.7% tested positive for <i>Schistosoma haematobium</i> eggs, corresponding to a prevalence of 1.98% among individuals aged 10–14 and 7.44% among those aged 15 and above. Therapeutic coverage was high among individuals aged 10–14 (88.12%). In multivariate analysis, the factors significantly associated with the occurrence of urogenital schistosomiasis were knowledge of the disease (ORa = 6.32 [1.61–31.8], p = 0.026), seeking medical care (ORa = 10.87 [2.83–48.1], p < 0.001), experiencing side effects after treatment (ORa = 43.71 [2.9–70.7], p = 0.003), and positive results on the urine dipstick test (ORa = 118.44 [11.12–126.12], p < 0.001). <i>Conclusion: </i>The Tambacounda Health District remains endemic for urogenital schistosomiasis despite mass treatment campaigns targeting individuals aged 5–14. Recommendations include strengthening health education, systematic urine dipstick screening, and implementing two rounds of Praziquantel treatment.