title: Schistosomiasis mansoni in Bananal (State of São Paulo, Brazil): I. Efficiency of diagnostic and treatment procedures.
abstract: Bananal is an important focus of Schistosoma mansoni in the State of São Paulo. Accordingly, programmed active search for human cases, annual coproscopic surveys and treatment of infected cases were started in 1998, aiming at producing a sharp prevalence rate drop by the year 2000. S. mansoni eggs were searched for in two Kato-Katz slides per patient. Cases were followed up according to the routine of the local Family Health Program. In 1998, 130 samples out of 3,860 showed S. mansoni eggs; in 1999, 105 out of 3,550, and in 2000, 64 out of 3,528. Prevalence rates were 3.4%, 2.9%, and 1.8%, and average egg-counts 59, 64, and 79 eggs per gram of feces respectively. Prevalence rates decreased steadily after treatment, but persistently positive cases showed no significant decrease in parasite burdens. Egg count variation depended on sex and age bracket. Persistent residual cases admittedly preclude the eradication of this infection by only searching for and treating carriers. In addition, resistance to therapy and low sensitivity of fecal examinations, can not be ignored. Moderate to heavy worm burdens, frequently associated with hepatomegaly elsewhere, produced no serious cases in Bananal.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Malacologia, Coordenação dos Laboratórios de Referência e Desenvolvimento Científico, Superintendência de Controle de Endemias, São Paulo, SP, 01027-000, Brasil.
authors.forename: Horacio Manuel Santana
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Teles
authors.forename: Maria Esther
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: de Carvalho
authors.forename: Cláudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Santos Ferreira
authors.forename: Fabiana
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zacharias
authors.forename: Valquíria Rosa
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: de Lima
authors.forename: Maria Lucia Condino
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Fadel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010073:Oxamniquine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010270:Parasite Egg Count; D015995:Prevalence; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012555:Schistosomiasis mansoni / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012556:Schistosomicides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014505:Urban Population
chemical_list: D012556:Schistosomicides; D010073:Oxamniquine