title: Epidemiology of malaria, schistosomiasis, geohelminths, anemia and malnutrition in the context of a demographic surveillance system in northern Angola.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Malaria, schistosomiasis and geohelminth infection are linked to maternal and child morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. Knowing the prevalence levels of these infections is vital to guide governments towards the implementation of successful and cost-effective disease control initiatives.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A cross-sectional study of 1,237 preschool children (0-5 year olds), 1,142 school-aged children (6-15 year olds) and 960 women (>15 year olds) was conducted to understand the distribution of malnutrition, anemia, malaria, schistosomiasis (intestinal and urinary) and geohelminths in a north-western province of Angola. We used a recent demographic surveillance system (DSS) database to select and recruit suitable households. Malnutrition was common among children (23.3% under-weight, 9.9% wasting and 32.2% stunting), and anemia was found to be a severe public health problem (i.e., >40%). Malaria prevalence was highest among preschool children reaching 20.2%. Micro-hematuria prevalence levels reached 10.0% of preschool children, 16.6% of school-aged children and 21.7% of mothers. Geohelminth infections were common, affecting 22.3% of preschool children, 31.6% of school-aged children and 28.0% of mothers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Here we report prevalence levels of malaria, schistosomiasis and geohelminths; all endemic in this poorly described area where a DSS has been recently established. Furthermore we found evidence that the studied infections are associated with the observed levels of anemia and malnutrition, which can justify the implementation of integrated interventions for the control of these diseases and morbidities.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Tropical and Infectious Diseases, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: José Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Sousa-Figueiredo
authors.forename: Dina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gamboa
authors.forename: João Mário
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Pedro
authors.forename: Cláudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fançony
authors.forename: António Justino
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Langa
authors.forename: Ricardo J Soares
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Magalhães
authors.forename: J Russell
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Stothard
authors.forename: Susana Vaz
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Nery
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000740:Anemia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000810:Angola / Q000453:epidemiology; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006725:Hookworm Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D012552:Schistosomiasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology