Interventions for Schistosomiasis Elimination in Zanzibar

Scientists and public health specialists from the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Insitute, the Natural History Museum of London, Public Health Laboratory-Ivo de Carneri in Pemba, the Neglected Diseases Programme of Ministry of Health in Zanzibar, the Schistosomiasis Control Initiative and the Schistosomiasis Consortium for Operational Research and Evaluation conducted a 5-year cluster-randomised trial to assess the effect of different interventions for elimination of urogenital schistosomiasis in children aged 9-12 years from Zanzibar. Findings from the study, which were published today in the Lancet Global Health, show that urogenital schistosomiasis was eliminated as a public health problem from Zanzibar in more than 90% of areas included in the study, but transmission is not yet interrupted and reinfection occurs.

"Schistosomiasis is a focal disease. In settings where elimination as a public health problem and interruption of transmission is the goal, intervention strategies need to be tailored to the local micro-epidemiology and culture. It is now necessary to build on the experience gained in this trial and other studies, to focus on reducing prevalence and intensity in remaining hotspot areas, and to introduce new methods of rigorous surveillance, followed by specific public health response so that the important gains can be maintained and advanced."

Find out more from the SWISS TPH institute website

Click through to the Lancet article using the box on the right.