title: Diagnosing schistosomiasis: where are we?
abstract: In light of the World Health Organization's initiative to extend schistosomiasis morbidity and mortality control programs by including a disease elimination strategy in low endemic settings, this paper reviews diagnostic tools described during the last decades and provide an overview of ongoing efforts in making an efficient diagnostic tool available worldwide. A literature search on PubMed using the search criteria schistosomiasis and diagnosis within the period from 1978 to 2013 was carried out. Articles with abstract in English and that used laboratory techniques specifically developed for the detection of schistosomiasis in humans were included. Publications were categorized according to the methodology applied (parasitological, immunological, or molecular) and stage of development (in house development, limited field, or large scale field testing). The initial research generated 4,535 publications, of which only 643 met the inclusion criteria. The vast majority (537) of the publications focused on immunological techniques; 81 focused on parasitological diagnosis, and 25 focused on molecular diagnostic methods. Regarding the stage of development, 307 papers referred to in-house development, 202 referred to limited field tests, and 134 referred to large scale field testing. The data obtained show that promising new diagnostic tools, especially for Schistosoma antigen and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) detection, which are characterized by high sensitivity and specificity, are being developed. In combination with international funding initiatives these tools may result in a significant step forward in successful disease elimination and surveillance, which is to make efficient tests accessible and its large use self-sustainable for control programs in endemic countries.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Pesquisas Clínicas, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Belo HorizonteMG, Laboratório de Pesquisas Clínicas, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Belo Horizonte, MG.
authors.forename: Luciana Inácia
authors.initials: LI
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Parasitoses Intestinais e Malacologia, Instituto Evandro Chagas, Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde, AnanindeuaPA, Laboratório de Parasitoses Intestinais e Malacologia, Instituto Evandro Chagas, Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde, Ministério da Saúde, Ananindeua, PA.
authors.forename: Martin Johannes
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Enk
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Pesquisas Clínicas, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Belo HorizonteMG, Laboratório de Pesquisas Clínicas, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Belo Horizonte, MG.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rabello
mesh_terms: D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000097:blood*; D018509:DNA, Helminth / Q000097:blood*; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology*; D006801:Humans; D012552:Schistosomiasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D018509:DNA, Helminth