title: Effect of antischistosomal chemotherapy on prevalence of Symmers' periportal fibrosis in Sudanese villages.
abstract: Almost all mortality caused by Schistosoma mansoni is secondary to Symmers' periportal fibrosis of the liver which can now be diagnosed by ultrasonography. This study assessed the usefulness of ultrasonography in measuring the effect of chemotherapy on the prevalence of Symmers' periportal fibrosis in Sudanese villagers. The prevalence of Symmers' fibrosis in 318 randomly selected patients from two villages not receiving systemic antischistosomal chemotherapy was compared with that in 168 patients from a village where antischistosomal chemotherapy had been systematically applied since 1979. The prevalence of Symmers' fibrosis was two to three times lower among treated villagers, with an eight-fold difference for villagers aged 10-20 years.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011223:Praziquantel / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012555:Schistosomiasis mansoni / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013397:Sudan; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D011223:Praziquantel