title: Schistosoma mansoni in pregnancy and associations with anaemia in northwest Tanzania.
abstract: Schistosomiasis among pregnant women has been inadequately investigated. In order to determine the importance of Schistosoma mansoni in this subgroup, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of 972 women in Tanzania and investigated the prevalence of Schistosoma mansoni, hookworm and malaria and their associations with anaemia. Overall, 63.5% of women were infected with S. mansoni, with prevalence highest among younger women and decreasing with increasing age. The prevalence of hookworm was 56.3%, and 16.4% of women had malaria parasitaemia. Overall, 66.4% of women were anaemic. Increased risk of anaemia was associated with heavy infection with S. mansoni but not hookworm or Plasmodium falciparum parasitaemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious and Tropical Disease, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK.
authors.forename: Antony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ajanga
authors.forename: Nicholas J S
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Lwambo
authors.forename: Lynsey
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Blair
authors.forename: Ursuline
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Nyandindi
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fenwick
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brooker
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000740:Anemia / Q000469:parasitology*; D000818:Animals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000150:complications*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011250:Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic / Q000469:parasitology*; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000469:parasitology*; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni; D012555:Schistosomiasis mansoni / Q000150:complications*; D013636:Tanzania