Hajri Al-Shehri1,2, Michelle C Stanton2, James E LaCourse2, Aaron Atuhaire3, Moses Arinaitwe3, Aida Wamboko3, Moses Adriko3, Narcis B Kabatereine3,4, J Russell Stothard5. 1. Department of Parasitology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool L3 5QA, UK. 2. Ministry of Health, Asir District, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 3. Vector Control Division, Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda. 4. Schistosomiasis Control Initiative, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London W2 1PG, UK. 5. Ministry of Health, Asir District, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia russell.stothard@lstmed.ac.uk.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Water-borne parasitic diseases associated with poverty still blight the lives of African school children. In Uganda, intestinal schistosomiasis is still common along the shoreline of Lake Albert, despite ongoing control, and co-infection with giardiasis and malaria is poorly described. To shed light on putative interactions between diseases, a prospective cross-sectional parasitological survey was undertaken in five primary schools. METHODS: Stool samples from 254 school children, aged 5-10 years, were examined by microscopy and rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), with additional real-time PCR assays for detection of Giardia DNA. A finger-prick blood sample was also taken from each child and tested for malaria, and haemoblobin levels measured. Assocations between diseases and anaemia were assessed. RESULTS: Intestinal schistosomiasis (46.5%), giardiasis (41.6%) and malaria (56.2%) were common, and a quarter of children were anaemic (<115 g/L). Up to 87.0% of children were excreting Giardia DNA and the prevalence of heavy infection by real-time PCR (Ct≤19) was 19.5%, being positively associated with light, moderate and heavy egg-patent schistosomiasis, as well as with anaemia. CONCLUSIONS: In this setting, an extensive burden of giardiasis was revealed with heavy intensity infections associated with egg-patent intestinal schistosomiasis and anaemia. To improve child health, greater attention on giardiasis is needed along with exploring joined-up actions across diseases that promote better water hygiene and sanitation measures.
BACKGROUND:Water-borne parasitic diseases associated with poverty still blight the lives of African school children. In Uganda, intestinal schistosomiasis is still common along the shoreline of Lake Albert, despite ongoing control, and co-infection with giardiasis and malaria is poorly described. To shed light on putative interactions between diseases, a prospective cross-sectional parasitological survey was undertaken in five primary schools. METHODS: Stool samples from 254 school children, aged 5-10 years, were examined by microscopy and rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), with additional real-time PCR assays for detection of Giardia DNA. A finger-prick blood sample was also taken from each child and tested for malaria, and haemoblobin levels measured. Assocations between diseases and anaemia were assessed. RESULTS:Intestinal schistosomiasis (46.5%), giardiasis (41.6%) and malaria (56.2%) were common, and a quarter of children were anaemic (<115 g/L). Up to 87.0% of children were excreting Giardia DNA and the prevalence of heavy infection by real-time PCR (Ct≤19) was 19.5%, being positively associated with light, moderate and heavy egg-patent schistosomiasis, as well as with anaemia. CONCLUSIONS: In this setting, an extensive burden of giardiasis was revealed with heavy intensity infections associated with egg-patent intestinal schistosomiasis and anaemia. To improve child health, greater attention on giardiasis is needed along with exploring joined-up actions across diseases that promote better water hygiene and sanitation measures.
Authors: Patrick T McGann; Anne M Williams; Graham Ellis; Kathryn E McElhinney; Laurel Romano; Julia Woodall; Thad A Howard; Gerald Tegha; Robert Krysiak; R Murray Lark; E Louise Ander; Carine Mapango; Kenneth I Ataga; Satish Gopal; Nigel S Key; Russell E Ware; Parminder S Suchdev Journal: Blood Adv Date: 2018-11-13
Authors: Courtney Smith; Georgia McLachlan; Hajri Al Shehri; Moses Adriko; Moses Arinaitwe; Aaron Atuhaire; Edridah Muheki Tukahebwa; E James LaCourse; Michelle Stanton; J Russell Stothard; Amaya L Bustinduy Journal: Am J Trop Med Hyg Date: 2019-06 Impact factor: 2.345
Authors: Sandra J Molina-Gonzalez; Tapan Bhattacharyya; Hajri R AlShehri; Kate Poulton; Stephen Allen; Michael A Miles; Moses Arianitwe; Edridah M Tukahebwa; Bonnie Webster; J Russell Stothard; Amaya L Bustinduy Journal: Parasit Vectors Date: 2020-06-06 Impact factor: 3.876
Authors: Kosala Gayan Weerakoon; Catherine A Gordon; Gail M Williams; Pengfei Cai; Geoffrey N Gobert; Remigio M Olveda; Allen G Ross; David U Olveda; Donald P McManus Journal: Infect Dis Poverty Date: 2018-12-10 Impact factor: 4.520
Authors: Hajri Al-Shehri; E James LaCourse; Otto Klimach; Narcis B Kabatereine; J Russell Stothard Journal: Parasite Epidemiol Control Date: 2018-11-23