title: Clinical investigation of a population recently infected with Schistosoma mansoni (Richard-Toll, Senegal).
abstract: Following the introduction of large-scale irrigation, an exceptional epidemic of intestinal schistosomiasis occurred in northern Senegal when a non-immune population was exposed to massive infection. Subjects infected with Schistosoma mansoni were followed up parasitologically and clinically from the onset of the epidemic. After the initial evaluation, patients received a health education session and were treated with praziquantel in a dose of 30 mg/kg. One year after this treatment, S. mansoni eggs were found in the stools of 227/301 subjects (75%). Twenty-three per cent of subjects excreted > 400 eggs per gram (e.p.g.) and 11% excreted > 1000 e.p.g. of faeces. Overall, the geometric mean was 191 e.p.g. of faeces in infected individuals. The prevalence of diarrhoea was reduced from 55 to 29%, the prevalence of bloody diarrhoea from 44 to 11% and the prevalence of abdominal discomfort from 66 to 41%. No hepatomegaly was found in these patients either before or one year after treatment. Splenomegaly was reduced from 30% (measured by ultrasound) to 3% (on clinical examination). Morbidity associated with S. mansoni infection was considerably reduced one year after treatment with praziquantel (30 mg/kg).
authors.affiliation: VVOB, Co-operation of the Flemish Community of Belgium.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kongs
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Verle
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dieng
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Talla
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rouquet
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000980:Antiplatyhelmintic Agents; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011223:Praziquantel / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015995:Prevalence; D012555:Schistosomiasis mansoni / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D012556:Schistosomicides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012675:Senegal / Q000453:epidemiology; D014504:Urban Health; D014881:Water Supply
chemical_list: D000980:Antiplatyhelmintic Agents; D012556:Schistosomicides; D011223:Praziquantel