Progress in the prevention and control of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis.
In the last two decades important progress has been made in the understanding the epidemiology and the disease burden of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted nematodes infection. In addition, practical tools for disease control have been developed and a strategy for the prevention and control of morbidy of schistosomaisis and soil-transmitted nematodes infection has been endorsed by the World Health Organization. This paper presents the recent progress in the prevention and control of these infections: the estimates of chronic and subtle morbidity in high risk groups and the evidence that these chronic and severe sequelae of infections can be reversed by appropriate treatment; the use of anthelminthic drugs during pregnancy and lactation; the relevance to control morbidity due to these infections also in pre-school children; the efficacy of anthelminthic drugs and the possible threat of drug resistance; price, quality and accessibility of treatment by delivering drugs through the school system and ways of reaching also non-enrolled school-age children. Finally, the strategy, targets and recommendations of the World Health Organization for the control of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted nematodes infection are described.
Savioli
L
L
Parasitic Diseases and Vector Control, World Health Organization, Avenue Appia 20, 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland. saviolil@who.int
Albonico
M
M
Engels
D
D
Montresor
A
A
D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009348:Nematoda / Q000187:drug effects; D009349:Nematode Infections / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012548:Schistosoma haematobium / Q000187:drug effects; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni / Q000187:drug effects; D012552:Schistosomiasis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012987:Soil / Q000469:parasitology*
D000871:Anthelmintics; D012987:Soil