title: The burden of polyparasitism among primary schoolchildren in rural and farming areas in Zimbabwe.
abstract: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Zimbabwe among 1303 primary schoolchildren from a rural (53.3%) and a commercial farming area (46.7%) to determine the prevalence of co-infection by helminths and Plasmodium falciparum. Urine was examined on three successive days using the filtration method. Two stool specimens were processed using the Kato-Katz method and a third specimen was processed using the sedimentation method. Plasmodium falciparum was diagnosed from thick blood films. The prevalence of Schistosoma haematobium in the rural and farming areas was 66.8% and 52.3%, respectively, and for S. mansoni the prevalence was 12.4% and 22.7%, respectively. Plasmodium falciparum, hookworms, Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura occurred only in the farming area, with a prevalence of 27.9%, 23.7%, 2.1%, 2.3%, respectively. Co-infection and triple infection with schistosomes, P. falciparum and soil-transmitted helminths occurred in the commercial farming area only. Hookworm and S. mansoni infections were associated with P. falciparum malaria (P<0.001, OR=2.48, 95% CI 1.56-3.93 and P=0.005, OR=1.85, 95% CI 1.20-2.87, respectively). Overlap of helminths with malaria is a concern among primary schoolchildren and incorporating helminth control in programmes aiming to control malaria will improve funding and increase the efficiency of control for neglected tropical diseases in identified co-endemic settings.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Health Research, Box CY 573, Causeway, Harare, Zimbabwe.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Midzi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sangweme
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zinyowera
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Mapingure
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Brouwer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Munatsi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mutapi
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mudzori
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Woelk
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mduluza
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006373:Helminthiasis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006376:Helminths / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015995:Prevalence; D012423:Rural Health; D017678:Sex Distribution; D015030:Zimbabwe / Q000453:epidemiology