Submission Type

Poster

Start Date

April 2021

Abstract

Schistosomiasis is a Neglected Tropical Disease caused by a parasitic blood fluke. There are currently over 240 million people affected globally. Humans become infected after coming into contact with water containing the infectious stage of the parasite. Our data consists of egg counts for Schistosoma haematobium and Schistosoma mansoni collected from school-aged children in Tomefa, Ghana, a marginalized informal community, between 2014 and 2019. Our research explores whether or not reinfections and continuous infections were occurring over the six-year period. Although the government conducts periodic mass drug administration, reinfections are likely given the social and environmental conditions in the community. Families move in and out of the community, and children may stop attending school if they are unable to pay the fees. Prolonged infections in children can lead to malnutrition, anemia, and delayed development. We are looking at reinfection rates for both species, including both replacements and substitutions of the species as well as concurrent infection.

Comments

Sponsored by Susan Muench.

GREAT Day Synchronous Session link

Time: Apr 28, 2021 03:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

https://geneseo.zoom.us/j/8868212420

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Apr 26th, 12:00 AM

215— Schistosomiasis Infections in School Aged Children in Ghana

Schistosomiasis is a Neglected Tropical Disease caused by a parasitic blood fluke. There are currently over 240 million people affected globally. Humans become infected after coming into contact with water containing the infectious stage of the parasite. Our data consists of egg counts for Schistosoma haematobium and Schistosoma mansoni collected from school-aged children in Tomefa, Ghana, a marginalized informal community, between 2014 and 2019. Our research explores whether or not reinfections and continuous infections were occurring over the six-year period. Although the government conducts periodic mass drug administration, reinfections are likely given the social and environmental conditions in the community. Families move in and out of the community, and children may stop attending school if they are unable to pay the fees. Prolonged infections in children can lead to malnutrition, anemia, and delayed development. We are looking at reinfection rates for both species, including both replacements and substitutions of the species as well as concurrent infection.

 

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