Submission Title
215— Schistosomiasis Infections in School Aged Children in Ghana
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.
Recommended Citation
Pisciotta, Katerina and Mazzaferro, Maia, "215— Schistosomiasis Infections in School Aged Children in Ghana" (2021). GREAT Day Posters. 45.
https://knightscholar.geneseo.edu/great-day-symposium/great-day-2021/posters-2021/45
Included in
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.
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